US20080170931A1

US20080170931A1 - Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Info

Publication number: US20080170931A1
Application number: US12/013,670
Authority: US
Inventors: Koji Hashimoto
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-01-15
Filing date: 2008-01-14
Publication date: 2008-07-17
Also published as: TW200836993A; KR100953010B1; CN101226878B; KR20080067286A; TWI341820B; CN101226878A; JP2008172160A

Abstract

A substrate reverse moving device is composed of a reversing mechanism and a moving mechanism. A rotating mechanism incorporates a motor or the like, and is capable of rotating a first movable member and a second movable member to which first and second supporting members that support a substrate therebetween are fixed, respectively, around a horizontal axis through, for example, 180 degrees via a link mechanism. Moreover, a pair of transport rails is fixed on a base in parallel to V direction. A pair of sliding blocks is slidably attached to the pair of transport rails. A floorboard of the reversing mechanism is attached to the sliding blocks. A direct acting mechanism moves a driver in a direction parallel to the transport rails, so that the reversing mechanism moves back and forth in the V direction along the transport rails.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method for performing predetermined processing on a substrate.
2. Description of the Background Art
Substrate processing apparatuses have been conventionally used to perform various types of processing on substrates such as semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for photomasks, glass substrates for liquid crystal displays, glass substrates for optical disks or the like.
For example, the substrate processing apparatus including a substrate reversing mechanism that reverses a top surface and a back surface of the substrate is described in JP 2005-85885 A. In such a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate transport robot that transports the substrate is arranged in substantially the center of a rectangular processing region. A plurality of (four, for example) substrate processing units are arranged so as to surround the substrate transport robot in the processing region. In addition, the substrate reversing mechanism is arranged in a position where the substrate transport robot can access in the processing region.
An indexer unit including a plurality of cassettes that store the substrate is provided on one end of the processing region. An indexer robot that takes the substrate before processing out of the above-mentioned cassette or stores the substrate after the processing in the above-mentioned cassette is provided in the indexer unit.
In the configuration described above, the indexer robot receives the substrate after the processing from the substrate transport robot and stores it in the cassette while taking out the substrate before the processing out of any of the cassettes and transferring it to the substrate transport robot.
The substrate transport robot receives the substrate before the processing from the indexer robot, and subsequently transfers the received substrate to the substrate reversing mechanism. The substrate reversing mechanism reverses the substrate received from the substrate transport robot so that the top surface thereof is directed downward. The substrate transport robot receives the substrate reversed by the substrate reversing mechanism and carries the substrate into any of the substrate processing units.
Next, when the processing of the substrate is finished in any of the above-mentioned substrate processing units, the substrate transport robot carries the substrate out of the substrate processing unit and again transfers it to the substrate reversing mechanism. The substrate reversing mechanism reverses the substrate having been subjected to the processing in the substrate processing unit so that the top surface thereof is directed upward.
Then, the substrate transport robot receives the substrate reversed by the substrate reversing mechanism and transfers it to the indexer robot. The substrate, received from the substrate transport robot, after the processing is stored in the cassette by the indexer robot.
As described above, the substrate, stored in the cassette, before the processing is reversed by the substrate reversing mechanism and subjected to the processing (processing on the back surface of the substrate) in the substrate processing unit, and subsequently reversed again by the substrate reversing mechanism and stored in the cassette as the substrate after the processing.
In the above-described conventional substrate processing apparatus, a shuttle transporting mechanism that mediates the substrate transferred and received between the indexer robot and the substrate transport robot is provided in some cases. This allows the indexer robot and the substrate transport robot to efficiently perform the respective transport operations without being constrained by movement of each other.
If the foregoing shuttle transporting mechanism and substrate reversing mechanism are provided in the substrate processing apparatus, however, the number of transporting processes by the substrate transport robot is increased. Specifically, the substrate transport robot is required to perform four transporting processes for the single substrate, that is, a transporting process from the shuttle transport mechanism to the substrate reversing mechanism, a transporting process from the substrate reversing mechanism to the substrate processing unit, a transporting process from the substrate processing unit to the substrate reversing mechanism and a transporting process from the substrate reversing mechanism to the shuttle transporting mechanism.
As described above, the number of the transporting processes by the substrate transport robot among the shuttle transporting mechanism, the substrate reversing mechanism and the plurality of substrate processing units is increased. This reduces the throughput of the substrate processing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of improving the throughput of substrate processing.
(1) According to an aspect of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus that subjects a substrate having one surface and the other surface to processing includes a processing region for processing the substrate, a carrying in and out region for carrying the substrate into and out of the processing region and a transfer portion for transferring the substrate between the processing region and the carrying in and out region, wherein the carrying in and out region includes a container platform where a storing container that stores the substrate is placed and a first transport device that transports the substrate between the storing container that is placed on the container platform and the transfer portion, the processing region includes a processing unit that performs the processing on the substrate and a second transport device that transports the substrate between the transfer portion and the processing unit, and the transfer portion includes a reversing mechanism that reverses the one surface and the other surface of the substrate and a moving mechanism that moves the reversing mechanism so that the substrate can be transferred between the first transport device and the reversing mechanism and transferred between the second transport device and the reversing mechanism.
In the substrate processing apparatus, the reversing mechanism is moved by the moving mechanism in the transfer portion so that the substrate can be transferred between the first transport device and the reversing mechanism. Then, the substrate is transported by the first transport device between the storing container that is placed on the container platform in the carrying in and out region and the transfer portion.
The reversing mechanism is moved by the moving mechanism so that the substrate can be transferred between the second transport device and the reversing mechanism while the one surface and the other surface of the substrate are reversed by the reversing mechanism in the above-mentioned transfer portion. The substrate is subsequently transported by the second transport device between the transfer portion and the processing unit in the processing region.
As described above, the transfer portion has both the function of a transporting mechanism that mediates the substrate transferred between the first transport device and the second transport device and the function of a reversing mechanism that reverses the substrate. Accordingly, the second transport device performs two transporting processes for the single substrate, that is, a transporting process from the transfer portion to the processing unit and a transporting process from the processing unit to the transfer portion. Thus, the number of the transporting processes by the second transport device is reduced, so that the throughput of the substrate processing is improved.
In addition, the transfer portion including the reversing mechanism and the moving mechanism is provided between the first transport device and the second transport device, so that the configuration of the existing substrate processing apparatus (a configuration of a so-called platform) is not required to be changed. This can suppress an increase in production cost of the substrate processing apparatus.
(2) The moving mechanism may linearly move the reversing mechanism back and forth in a horizontal direction between a position where the substrate can be transferred between the first transport device and the reversing mechanism and a position where the substrate can be transferred between the second transport device and the reversing mechanism.
In this case, the substrate is reversed and transported between the first transport device and the second transport device when the reversing mechanism linearly moves between the position where the substrate can be transferred to and from the first transport device and the position where the substrate can be transferred to and from the second transport device, so that the number of the transporting processes by the second transport device is reduced. This improves the throughput of the substrate processing.
(3) The first transport device may include a first supporter that supports the substrate and is provided so as to advance and withdraw, the first supporter may advance and withdraw in a first advance/withdraw direction with respect to the reversing mechanism when transferring and receiving the substrate to and from the reversing mechanism, the second transport device may include a second supporter that supports the substrate and is provided so as to advance and withdraw, the second supporter may advance and withdraw in a second advance/withdraw direction with respect to the reversing mechanism when transferring and receiving the substrate to and from the reversing mechanism, the moving mechanism may rotate said reversing mechanism around a substantially vertical axis so that the reversing mechanism faces a first transfer direction toward the first advance/withdraw direction or a second transfer direction toward the second advance/withdraw direction.
In this case, the first supporter of the first transporting device advances and withdraws in the first advance/withdraw direction with respect to the reversing mechanism that is rotated by the moving mechanism, so that the substrate is transferred and received to and from the reversing mechanism.
Moreover, the second supporter of the second transport device advances and withdraws in the second advance/withdraw direction with respect to the reversing mechanism that is rotated by the moving mechanism, so that the substrate is transferred and received to and from the reversing mechanism.
As described above, the substrate is reversed and transported between the first transport device and the second transport device when the reversing mechanism rotates to move between the first transfer direction toward the first advance/withdraw direction and the second transfer direction toward the second advance/withdraw direction, so that the number of the transporting processes by the second transport device is reduced. This improves the throughout of the substrate processing.
(4) The reversing mechanism may be arranged so that a rotation angle between the first transfer direction and the second transfer direction is 180 degrees.
In this case, the reversing mechanism can transport the substrate between the first transport device and the second transport device by rotating through 180 degrees when the first transfer direction and the second transfer direction are parallel to each other, that is, the first advance/withdraw direction of the first supporter of the first transport device and the second advance/withdraw direction of the second supporter of the second transport device are parallel to each other.
(5) The reversing mechanism may be arranged so that a rotation angle between the first transfer direction and the second transfer direction is smaller than 180 degrees.
In this case, the reversing mechanism can transport the substrate between the first transport device and the second transport device by rotating through an angle of smaller than 180 degrees when the first transfer direction and the second transfer direction are not parallel to each other, that is, the first advance/withdraw direction of the first supporter and the second advance/withdraw direction of the second supporter are not parallel to each other. Accordingly, the rotation angle of the reversing mechanism becomes smaller, and a transport time of the substrate between the first transport device and the second transport device is shortened. This allows the throughput of the substrate processing to be further improved.
(6) The first transport device may be provided so as to move in parallel to a first axis direction, may store and take the substrate in and out of the storing container that is placed on the container platform in a state where the first transport device faces a second direction perpendicular to the first axis direction, and may transfer and receive the substrate to and from the reversing mechanism in a state where the first transport device faces a third axis direction at an angle of smaller than 180 degrees to the second axis direction.
In this case, the first transport device transfers and receives the substrate to and from the reversing mechanism in the state where the first transport device faces the third axis direction at an angle of smaller than 180 degrees to the second axis direction, so that the rotation angle of the first transport device becomes smaller. Thus, the transport time of the substrate between the storing container and the transfer portion is shortened. This allows the throughput of the substrate processing to be further improved.
(7) According to another aspect of the present invention, a substrate processing method for subjecting a substrate to processing by a substrate processing apparatus including a carrying in and out region that includes a container platform and a first transport device, a processing region that includes a processing unit and a second transport device and a transfer portion for transferring the substrate between the processing region and the carrying in and out region includes the steps of taking the substrate before processing out of a storing container that is placed on the container platform and transferring the taken out substrate before the processing to the transfer portion by the first transport device, moving the reversing mechanism so that the substrate before the processing can be transferred from the reversing mechanism to the second transport device while reversing one surface and the other surface of the substrate before the processing by a reversing mechanism in the transfer portion, transporting the substrate before the processing from the transfer portion to the processing unit by the second transport device, processing the substrate before the processing in the processing unit, transporting the substrate having been processed in the processing unit from the processing unit to the transfer portion by the second transport device, moving the reversing mechanism so that the substrate after the processing can be transferred from the transfer portion to the first transport device while reversing the other surface and the one surface of the substrate after the processing by the reversing mechanism in the transfer portion and receiving the substrate after the processing from the transfer portion and storing the received substrate after the processing in the storing container by the first transport device.
A series of the processes in the substrate processing method is shown below. First, the first transport device takes the substrate before the processing out of the storing container placed on the container platform, and transfers the taken out substrate before the processing to the transfer portion. Next, the reversing mechanism is moved so that the substrate before the processing can be transferred from the reversing mechanism to the second transport device while the one surface and the other surface of the substrate before the processing are reversed by the reversing mechanism in the transfer portion.
After the substrate before the processing is transported from the transfer portion to the processing unit by the second transport device, the substrate before the processing is processed in the processing unit. Next, the substrate having been processed in the processing unit is transported from the processing unit to the transfer portion by the second transport device.
Then, the reversing mechanism is moved so that the substrate after the processing can be transferred from the transfer portion to the first transport device while the other surface and the one surface of the substrate after the processing are reversed by the reversing mechanism in the transfer portion. The first transport device subsequently receives the substrate after the processing from the transfer portion, and stores the received substrate after the processing in the storing container.
As described above, the transfer portion has both the function of the transporting mechanism that mediates the substrate transferred between the first transport device and the second transport device and the function of the reversing mechanism that reverses the substrate. Thus, the second transport device performs the two transporting processes for the single substrate, that is, the transporting process from the transfer portion to the processing unit and the transporting process from the processing unit to the transfer portion. This reduces the number of the transporting processes by the second transport device, so that the throughput of the substrate processing is improved.
In addition, the transfer portion having both the function of the transporting mechanism and the function of the reversing mechanism is provided between the first transport device and the second transport device, so that the configuration of the existing substrate processing apparatus (the configuration of the so-called platform) is not required to be changed. This can suppress the increase in the production cost of the substrate processing apparatus.
According to the configuration of the present invention, the number of the transporting processes by the second transport device is reduced, so that the throughput of the substrate processing is improved.
Other features, elements, characteristics, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a processing unit;

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a substrate reverse moving device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a main part of the substrate reverse moving device;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a part of the substrate reverse moving device;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing configurations of an indexer robot and a substrate transport robot in the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing transporting processes of a substrate;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a substrate reverse moving device of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a third embodiment; and

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement of a substrate reverse moving device in the third embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to drawings.
In the following description, a substrate refers to a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, a glass substrate for a PDP (plasma display panel), a glass substrate for a photomask, a substrate for an optical disk and the like.
In addition, examples of a chemical liquid include BHF (buffered hydrofluoric acid), DHF (diluted hydrofluoric acid), hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, oxygenated water, an aqueous solution of ammonia and the like or a mixture solution thereof.
Hereinafter, processing by using these chemical liquids is referred to as chemical liquid processing. Normally, rinsing processing of the substrate by using a rinse liquid is performed after the chemical liquid processing is finished. Examples of the rinse liquid include pure water, carbonated water, ozone water, magnetic water, regenerated water (hydrogen water) and ion water, as well as organic solvent such as IPA (isopropyl alcohol) or the like.

(1) First Embodiment

(1-1) Configuration of Substrate Processing Apparatus

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1. Note that a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to a vertical direction is defined as a U direction and a V direction, and the vertical direction that is perpendicular to the horizontal direction is defined as a T direction in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. This also applies to diagrams described later.
As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes processing regions A, B, and a transport region C therebetween.
A controller 4, fluid boxes 2 a, 2 b and processing units MP1, MP3 and processing units MP2, MP4 are arranged in the processing region A.
As shown in FIG. 2, the processing units MP2, MP4 are provided above the processing units MP1, MP3, respectively.
Each of the fluid boxes 2 a, 2 b of FIG. 1 stores fluid-related equipment such as pipes, joints, valves, flowmeters, regulators, pumps, temperature controllers, chemical liquid storage tanks or the like involved in supply and drain the chemical liquid and pure water to/from the processing units MP1, MP2 and the processing units MP3, MP4.
In the processing units MP1, MP3, the chemical liquid processing using the above-mentioned chemical liquid is performed. Also in the processing units MP2, MP4, the chemical liquid processing using the above-mentioned chemical liquid is performed. Note that the rinsing processing using pure water or the like is performed after the chemical liquid processing.
In the processing region B, fluid boxes 2 c, 2 d, processing units MP5, MP7 and processing units MP6, MP8 are arranged. The processing units MP6, MP8 are provided above the processing units MP5, MP7, respectively.
Each of the fluid boxes 2 c, 2 d of FIG. 1 stores fluid-related equipment such as pipes, joints, valves, flow meters, regulators, pumps, temperature controllers, chemical liquid storage tanks or the like involved in supply and drain the chemical liquid and pure water to/from the processing units MP5, MP6 and the processing units MP7, MP8.
In the processing unit Mp5, MP7, MP6, MP8, chemical liquid processing similar to that in the above-described processing units MP1, MP3, MP2, MP4 is performed.
Hereinafter, in the case of indicating an arbitrary one of the processing units MP1, MP3, MP5, MP7 and the processing units MP2, MP4, MP6, MP8, it is referred to as the processing unit.
In the present embodiment, chemical liquid supply mechanisms that supply hydrofluoric acid, ammonia water, oxygenated water and hydrochloric acid as the chemical liquids to the processing units are provided in the fluid boxes 2 a-2 d, respectively.
A substrate transport robot CR is provided in the transport region C. An indexer ID for carrying in and out the substrate is arranged on one end of the processing regions A, B.
The indexer ID includes a plurality of carrier platforms 1 a and an indexer robot IR. Carriers 1 that store the substrates W are placed on the carrier platforms 1 a, respectively. In the present embodiment, FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods) that store the substrates W in an enclosed state are used as the carriers 1, however, other carriers including SMIF (Standard Mechanical Inter Face) pods or OCs (Open Cassettes) may also be used as the carriers 1. The indexer robot IR is so constructed that it can move in the U direction in the indexer ID.
Here, a transfer portion 3 is provided in a position of the transport region C between the indexer ID and the substrate transport robot CR in the present embodiment. The transfer portion 3 includes a substrate reverse moving device 7 that reverses a top surface and a back surface of the substrate W. Here, the top surface of the substrate W refers to a surface on which a variety of patterns such as a circuit pattern or the like are to be formed. This substrate reverse moving device 7 can linearly move back and forth on a pair of transport rails 3 a in the V direction in the transfer portion 3.
In such a configuration, the indexer robot IR takes the substrate W before processing out of the carrier 1 and transfers the substrate W to the substrate reverse moving device 7. Conversely, the indexer robot IR receives the substrate W after the processing from the substrate reverse moving device 7 and returns the substrate W to the carrier 1.
In addition, the substrate reverse moving device 7 reverses the substrate W received from the indexer robot IR while moving the reversed substrate W to the vicinity of the substrate transport robot CR along the above-mentioned V direction. Detail will be described later.
Further, the substrate transport robot CR transports the substrate W received from the substrate reverse moving device 7 to a specified processing unit, or transports the substrate W received from the processing unit to another processing unit, or transfers the substrate W received from the processing unit to the substrate reverse moving device 7
The controller 4 is composed of a computer or the like including a CPU (central processing unit), and controls an operation of each of the processing units MP1-MP8 in the processing regions A, B, operations of the substrate reverse moving device 7 and the substrate transport robot CR in the transport region C and an operation of the indexer robot IR in the indexer ID.
Note that the substrate processing apparatus 100 is provided in a clean room or the like with downflow formed therein. In addition, downflow is formed in each of the processing units MP1-MP8 and the transport region C.

(1-2) Configuration of Processing Unit

Next, configurations of the processing units MP1-MP8 are described with reference to a drawing. Note that the configuration of the processing unit MP1 is described as a typical example in the following since the processing units MP1-MP8 have the same configuration.
In the processing unit MP1, processing for cleaning the substrate, processing for etching a film on the substrate, processing for removing polymer residues (resist residues, for example) on the substrate and the like are performed. In the following, the processing for cleaning the substrate is described as an example.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the configuration of the processing unit MP1. As shown in FIG. 3, the processing unit MP1 includes a housing 101, a spin chuck 21 that is provided in the housing 101 and rotates around a vertical axis passing through substantially the center of the substrate W while holding the substrate W almost horizontally and a fan filter unit FFU that is provided so as to close an opening at an upper end of the housing 101. The fan filter unit FFU forms downflow within the housing 101. Note that the fan filter unit FFU is composed of a fan and a filter.
The spin chuck 21 is fixed to an upper end of a rotating shaft 25 that is rotated by a chuck rotation-driving mechanism 36. The substrate W is rotated while being horizontally held by the spin chuck 21 when the cleaning processing using the chemical liquid is performed.
A first motor 60 is provided outside the spin chuck 21. A first rotating shaft 61 is connected to the first motor 60. A first arm 62 is coupled to the first rotating shaft 61 so as to extend in the horizontal direction, and a processing liquid nozzle 50 is provided at the tip of the first arm 62. The processing liquid nozzle 50 supplies the chemical liquid for cleaning the substrate W onto the substrate W.
A second motor 60 a is provided outside the spin chuck 21. A second rotating shaft 61 a is connected to the second motor 60 a, and a second arm 62 a is coupled to the second rotating shaft 61 a. A pure water nozzle 50 a is provided at the tip of the second arm 62 a. The pure water nozzle 50 a supplies pure water onto the substrate W in the rinsing processing after the cleaning processing. When the cleaning processing is performed by using the processing liquid nozzle 50, the pure water nozzle 50 a is retracted to a predetermined position.
The rotating shaft 25 of the spin chuck 21 is composed of a hollow shaft. A processing liquid supply pipe 26 is inserted through the rotating shaft 25. The chemical liquid such as pure water, a cleaning liquid or the like is supplied to the processing liquid supply pipe 26. The processing liquid supply pipe 26 extends to a position in vicinity to a lower surface of the substrate W held by the spin chuck 21. A lower surface nozzle 27 for discharging the chemical liquid toward the center of the lower surface of the substrate W is provided at the tip of the processing liquid supply pipe 26.
The spin chuck 21 is stored in a processing cup 23. A cylindrical partition wall 33 is provided inside the processing cup 23. A drain space 31 for draining the chemical liquid used for the cleaning processing of the substrate W is formed so as to surround the spin chuck 21. Furthermore, a liquid recovery space 32 for recovering the chemical liquid used for the cleaning processing of the substrate W is formed between the processing cup 23 and the partition wall 33 so as to surround the drain space 31.
A drain pipe 34 for leading the chemical liquid into a drain processing device (not shown) is connected to the drain space 31. A recovery pipe 35 for leading the chemical liquid into a recovery and reuse device (not shown) is connected to the liquid recovery space 32.
A guard 24 for preventing the chemical liquid from the substrate W from being scattered outward is provided above the processing cup 23. This guard 24 is shaped to be rotationally-symmetric with respect to the rotating shaft 25. A drain guide groove 41 with a V-shaped cross section is annularly formed in an inner surface of an upper end of the guard 24
A liquid recovery guide 42 having an inclined surface that inclines down outwardly is formed in an inner surface of a lower end of the guard 24. A partition wall-housing groove 43 for receiving the partition wall 33 inside the processing cup 23 is formed in the vicinity of an upper end of the liquid recovery guide 42. A guard lifting mechanism (not shown) composed of a ball-screw mechanism or the like is connected to the above-described guard 24.
The guard lifting mechanism moves the guard 24 upward and downward between a recovery position in which the liquid recovery guide 42 faces an outer circumference of the substrate W held on the spin chuck 21 and a drain position in which the drain guide groove 41 faces the outer circumference of the substrate W held on the spin chuck 21.
When the guard 24 is in the recovery position (the position of the guard 24 shown in FIG. 3), the chemical liquid scattered outward from the substrate W is led into the liquid recovery space 32 by the liquid recovery guide 42, and is then recovered through the recovery pipe 35. On the other hand, when the guard 24 is in the drain position, the chemical liquid scattered outward from the substrate W is led into the drain space 31 by the drain guide groove 41, and is then drained through the drain pipe 34.
The foregoing configuration causes the chemical liquid to be drained and recovered. When the substrate W is carried onto the spin chuck 21, the guard lifting mechanism retracts the guard 24 further downwardly from the drain position, and moves the guard 24 so that an upper end 24 a of the guard 24 is at a position lower than the height at which the spin chuck 21 holds the substrate W.
Above the spin chuck 21, a disk-shaped shielding plate 22 having an opening at its center is provided. A supporting shaft 29 is provided so as to extend vertically downward from the vicinity of an end of an arm 28, and the shielding plate 22 is attached to a lower end of the supporting shaft 29 so as to face an upper surface of the substrate W held on the spin chuck 21.
A nitrogen gas supply passage 30 that communicates with the opening of the shielding plate 22 is inserted through the supporting shaft 29. Nitrogen gas (N₂) is supplied to the nitrogen gas supply passage 30. The nitrogen gas supply passage 30 supplies the nitrogen gas to the substrate W at the time of drying processing after the rinsing processing with pure water. In addition, a pure water supply pipe 39 that communicates with the opening of the shielding plate 22 is inserted through the nitrogen gas supply passage 30. Pure water or the like is supplied to the pure water supply pipe 39.
A shielding plate lifting mechanism 37 and a shielding plate rotation mechanism 38 are connected to the arm 28. The shielding plate lifting mechanism 37 moves the shielding plate 22 upward and downward between a position in vicinity to the upper surface of the substrate W held on the spin chuck 21 and a position spaced upwardly apart from the spin chuck 21. The shielding plate rotation mechanism 38 rotates the shielding plate 22.

(1-3) Configuration and Operation of the Substrate Reverse Moving Device

Next, a configuration of the substrate reverse moving device 7 is described with reference to drawings.
FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the substrate reverse moving device 7 of FIG. 1. FIG. 4( a) is a side view of the substrate reverse moving device 7, and FIG. 4( b) is a top view of the substrate reverse moving device 7. Moreover, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a main part of the substrate reverse moving device 7, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a part of the substrate reverse moving device 7.
As shown in FIG. 4, the substrate reverse moving device 7 is composed of a reversing mechanism 70 and a moving mechanism 30.
The reversing mechanism 70 includes a first supporting member 71, a second supporting member 72, a plurality of substrate supporting pins 73 a, 73 b, a first movable member 74, a second movable member 75, a fixing plate 76, a link mechanism 77, a rotating mechanism 78 and a floorboard 79.
As shown in FIG. 5, the first supporting member 71 is composed of six bar-shaped members that extend radially. An end portion of each of the six bar-shaped members is provided with a substrate supporting pin 73 a.
Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6, the second supporting member 72 is composed of six bar-shaped members that extend radially. An end portion of each of the six bar-shaped members is provided with a substrate supporting pin 73 b.
While the first and second supporting members 71, 72 are each composed of the six bar-shaped members in the present embodiment, the first and second supporting members 71, 72 may be each composed of any number of bar-shaped members or other members having any other shape, including, for example, a disk or polygonal shape with a periphery corresponding to the plurality of supporting pins 73 a, 73 b.
The first movable member 74 of FIG. 5 is U-shaped. The first supporting member 71 is fixed to one end of the first movable member 74. The other end of the first movable member 74 is connected to the link mechanism 77. Similarly, the second movable member 75 of FIG. 6 is U-shaped. The second supporting member 72 is fixed to one end of the second movable member 75. The other end of the second movable member 75 is connected to the link mechanism 77. The link mechanism 77 is attached to the rotating shaft of the rotating mechanism 78. The link mechanism 77 and the rotating mechanism 78 are attached to the fixing plate 76.
The link mechanism 77 of FIG. 5 incorporates an air cylinder or the like. The link mechanism 77 can selectively shift the first movable member 74 and the second movable member 75 between a state where they are spaced apart from each other and a state where they are close to each other. The rotating mechanism 78 incorporates a motor or the like. The rotating mechanism 78 can rotate the first movable member 74 and the second movable member 75 through, for example, 180 degrees around the horizontal axis via the link mechanism 77.
As shown in FIG. 4, the moving mechanism 30 includes a base 31, a pair of transport rails 3 a, a direct acting mechanism 3 b, a driver 3 c, a link member 3 d and a pair of sliding blocks 3 e. Note that a part of the members such as the link member 3 d and the like are omitted in FIG. 4( b) for simplification.
The pair of transport rails 3 a is fixed on the base 31 in parallel to the V direction. The pair of sliding blocks 3 e is slidably attached to the pair of transport rails 3 a. The floorboard 79 of the reversing mechanism 70 is attached to the sliding blocks 3 e.
The direct acting mechanism 3 b is composed of for example, a ball screw mechanism and an electric cylinder that incorporates a motor applying a driving force to the ball screw mechanism. The driver 3 c is provided in the direct acting mechanism 3 b. The driver 3 c is linked to the floorboard 79 by the link member 3 d.
In such a configuration, the direct acting mechanism 3 b moves the driver 3 c in the horizontal direction to the transport rails 3 a, so that the reversing mechanism 70 is moved back and forth along the transport rails 3 a in the V direction.
Here, the operation of the substrate reverse moving device 7 is described with reference to drawings.
First, the substrate W is carried into the substrate reverse moving device 7 by the indexer robot IR (FIG. 1). In this case, the reversing mechanism 70 is moved to be positioned at an end of the pair of transport rails 3 a on the indexer robot IR side (hereinafter referred to as a first transfer position). The substrate W is transferred onto the plurality of substrate supporting pins 73 b of the second supporting member 72 by the indexer robot IR in the state where the first movable member 74 and the second movable member 75 are vertically spaced apart from each other.
Then, as shown in FIG. 4( a), the link mechanism 77 operates to shift the first movable member 74 and the second movable member 75 to the state where they are vertically close to each other. Accordingly, the both sides of the substrate W are supported by the plurality of substrate supporting pins 73 a, 73 b, respectively.
Next, the rotating mechanism 78 operates to rotate the first movable member 74 and the second movable member 75 through 180 degrees around an axis in the U direction while the reversing mechanism 70 moves to the substrate transport robot CR (FIG. 1) side on the pair of transport rails 3 a along the V direction as shown in FIG. 4( b). Thus, the substrate W is rotated through 180 degrees together with the first movable member 74 and the second movable member 75 while being held by the plurality of substrate supporting pins 73 a, 73 b provided on the first supporting member 71 and the second supporting member 72.
In this way, the substrate W is moved to the vicinity of the substrate transport robot CR while being reversed by the reversing mechanism 70. Here, the reversing mechanism 70 is moved to be positioned at an end of the pair of transport rails 3 a on the substrate transport robot CR side (hereinafter referred to as a second transfer position).
The link mechanism 77 subsequently operates to shift the first movable member 74 and the second movable member 75 to the state where they are vertically spaced apart from each other. In this state, the substrate W is carried out of the substrate reverse moving device 7 by the substrate transport robot CR.
Meanwhile, when the substrate W is carried into the substrate reverse moving device 7 by the substrate transport robot CR, the substrate W is moved to the vicinity of the indexer robot IR while being reversed by the reversing mechanism 70 by operations reverse to the above-mentioned operations. In the state, the substrate W is carried out of the substrate reverse moving device 7 by the indexer robot IR.

(1-4) Configurations of the Indexer Robot and the Substrate Transport Robot

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing configurations of the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR in the substrate processing apparatus 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 7( a) shows the configuration of a multi-joint arm of the indexer robot IR, and FIG. 7( b) shows the configuration of a multi-joint arm of the substrate transport robot CR. Note that as for the θ in FIG. 7( a) and FIG. 7( b), a clockwise direction on the paper is defined as a +θ direction and an anticlockwise direction on the paper is defined as a −θ direction.
As shown in FIG. 7( a), the indexer robot IR includes a pair of transport arms am4, cm4 for holding the substrate W, advance/withdrawing members am1, am2, am3 and cm1, cm2, cm3 for allowing the pair of transport arms am4, cm4 to advance and withdraw with respect to a main body IRH of the indexer robot independently from each other, a rotating mechanism (not shown) for rotating the main body IRH of the indexer robot in the ±θ direction around and a U direction movement mechanism (not shown) for moving the main body IRH of the indexer robot in the U direction.
The advance/withdrawing members am1, am2, am3 and cm1, cm2, cm3 are of a multi-joint arm type and allow the pair of transport arms am4, cm4 to advance and withdraw in the horizontal direction while maintaining their postures. One transport arm am4 is designed to advance and withdraw at an upper level than the other transport arm cm4, and these transport arms am4, cm4 vertically overlap with each other in an initial state where both the pair of transport arms am4, cm4 are retracted above the main body IRH of the indexer robot.
The main body IRH of the indexer robot drives the advance/withdrawing members am1, am2, am3 and cm1, cm2, cm3 in accordance with an instruction from the controller 4 (FIG. 1). The advance/withdrawing members am1, am2, am3 and cm1, cm2, cm3 have driving devices that are composed of motors, wires, pulleys and the like for moving the pair of transport arms am4, cm4 back and forth. The foregoing members allow the driving force to be directly applied to each of the pair of transport arms am4, cm4, so that the pair of transport arms am4, cm4 can advance and withdraw in the horizontal direction.
This allows the transport arms am4, cm4 of the indexer robot IR to move in the T direction, rotate in the ±θ direction, and extend/contract while supporting the substrate W.
Further, a plurality of substrate supporters PS are attached to an upper surface of each of the transport arms am4, cm4. In the present embodiment, four substrate supporters PS are attached at substantially equal spacings along the periphery of the substrate W that is placed on the upper surface of each of the transport arms am4, cm4. The substrate W is supported by these four substrate supporters PS. Note that the number of the substrate supporters PS is not limited to four, and the substrate supporters may be used in any number with which the substrate W can be stably supported.
When the reversing mechanism 70 of the substrate reverse moving device 7 is in the first transfer position, the indexer robot IR advances either one of the transport arms am4, cm4 toward the substrate reverse moving device 7 in the V direction in the position facing the substrate reverse moving device 7, so that the substrate W can be transferred and received to and from the reversing mechanism 70.
Next, as shown in FIG. 7( b), the substrate transport robot CR includes a pair of transport arms bm4, dm4 for holding the substrate W, advance/withdrawing members bm1, bm2, bm3 and dm1, dm2, dm3 for allowing the pair of transport arms bm4, dm4 to advance and withdraw with respect to a main body CRH of the substrate transport robot independently from each other, a rotating mechanism (not shown) for rotating the main body CRH of the substrate transport robot in the ±θ direction around the vertical axis and a lifting mechanism (not shown) for lifting the main body CRH of the substrate transport robot in the T direction.
The advance/withdrawing members bm1, bm2, bm3 and dm1, dm2, dm3 are of the multi-joint arm type and allow the pair of transport arms bm4, dm4 to advance and withdraw in the horizontal direction while maintaining their postures. One transport arm bm4 is designed to advance and withdraw at an upper level than the other transport arm dm4, and these transport arms bm4, dm4 vertically overlap with each other in an initial state where both the pair of transport arms bm4, dm4 are retracted above the main body CRH of the substrate transport robot.
The main body CRH of the substrate transport robot drives the advance/withdrawing members bm1, bm2, bm3 and dm1, dm2, dm3 in accordance with an instruction from the controller 4 (FIG. 1). The advance/withdrawing members bm1, bm2, bm3 and dm1, dm2, dm3 have driving devices that are composed of motors, wires, pulleys and the like for moving the pair of transport arms bm4, dm4 back and forth. The foregoing mechanisms allow the driving force to be directly applied to each of the pair of transport arms bm4, dm4, so that the pair of transport arms bm4, dm4 can advance and withdraw in the horizontal direction.
This allows the transport arms bm4, dm4 to move in the T direction, rotate in the ±θ direction, and extend/contract while supporting the substrate W.
Further, a plurality of substrate supporters PS are attached to an upper surface of each of the transport arms bm4, dm4 of the substrate transport robot CR. In the present embodiment, four substrate supporters PS are attached at substantially equal spacings along the periphery of the substrate W that is placed on the upper surface of each of the transport arms bm4, dm4. The substrate W is supported by the four substrate supporters PS. Note that the number of the substrate supporters PS is not limited to four, and the substrate supporters may be used in any number with which the substrate W can be stably supported.
When the reversing mechanism 70 of the substrate reverse moving device 7 is in the second transfer position, the substrate transport robot CR advances either one of the transport arms bm4, dm4 toward the substrate reverse moving device 7 in the V direction, so that the substrate W can be transferred and received to and from the reversing mechanism 70.
Note that in the present embodiment, description has been made of a case where both the indexer robot IR and substrate transport robot CR are of a double-arm type having the respective pairs of transport arms am4, cm4 and bm4, dm4, however, either or both of the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR may be of a single-arm type with only one transport arm.

(1-5) Example of Substrate Transporting Process

While an example of the transporting processes of the substrate W is subsequently described, the transporting processes of the substrate W are not limited to the following description.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the transporting processes of the substrate W. First, the reversing mechanism 70 of the substrate reverse moving device 7 moves to the first transfer position on the indexer robot IR side as shown in FIG. 8. The indexer robot IR takes the substrate W out of the carrier 1 and transfers the substrate W to the substrate reverse moving device 7 (step S1).
Next, the reversing mechanism 70 of the substrate reverse moving device 7 moves to the second transfer position on the substrate transport robot CR side along the V direction while reversing the substrate W received from the indexer robot IR (step S2).
Then, the substrate transport robot CR receives the substrate W from the substrate reverse moving device 7 (step S3). The substrate transport robot CR subsequently carries the substrate W into any of the processing units MP1-MP8 (step S4).
Next, the substrate W is subjected to the processing by any of the processing units described above (step S5). The substrate transport robot CR subsequently carries the substrate W after the processing out of any of the processing units described above (step S6). Then, the substrate transport robot CR transfers the substrate W to the substrate reverse moving device 7 (step S7).
The substrate reverse moving device 7 subsequently moves to the first transfer position on the indexer robot IR side along the above-described V direction while reversing the substrate W received from the substrate transport robot CR (step S8). Then, the indexer robot IR receives the substrate W from the substrate reverse moving device 7 (step S9). After this, the indexer robot IR stores the substrate W in a predetermined carrier 1.

(1-6) Effects of the First Embodiment

According to the substrate processing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the substrate reverse moving device 7 in the transfer portion 3 has both the function of a shuttle transporting mechanism that mediates the substrate W transferred between the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR and the function of a substrate reversing mechanism that reverses the substrate W. That is, the moving mechanism 30 of the substrate reverse moving device 7 moves the reversing mechanism 70 back and forth in a straight line between the first transfer position and the second transfer position, so that the substrate W is transferred between the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR and is reversed.
Thus, the substrate transport robot CR performs the two transporting processes for the single substrate W, that is, a transporting process from the substrate reverse moving device 7 to the processing unit and a transporting process from the processing unit to the substrate reverse moving device 7.
As described above, the number of the transporting processes by the substrate transport robot CR is reduced, so that the throughput of the processing of the substrate W is improved.
In addition, the transfer portion 3 including the substrate reverse moving device 7 is provided in the position of the transport region C between the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR, so that the configuration of the existing substrate processing apparatus (a configuration of a so-called platform) is not required to be changed. This can suppress an increase in production cost of the substrate processing apparatus 100.

(2) Second Embodiment

(2-1) Configuration of Substrate Processing Apparatus

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 9, a configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 a according to the second embodiment is different from the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment in that the transfer portion 3 includes a substrate reverse moving device 7 a instead of the substrate reverse moving device 7. The difference is described in the following with reference to drawings.

(2-2) Configuration and Operation of the Substrate Reverse Moving Device

FIG. 10 is a schematic structural view of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a of FIG. 9. FIG. 10( a) is a side view of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a, and FIG. 10( b) is a top view of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a.
As shown in FIG. 10( a), the configuration of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a is different from the configuration of the above-described substrate reverse moving device 7 (FIG. 4) in that a moving mechanism 30 a is provided instead of the moving mechanism 30. The moving mechanism 30 a includes a base 31, a rotating shaft 3 g and a motor 3 f.
The motor 3 f is fixed on the base 31. A shaft of the motor 3 f is connected to a lower surface of the floorboard 79 by the rotating shaft 3 g. Such a configuration allows the reversing mechanism 70 to rotate in the ±θ direction (around the axis in the T direction) as shown in FIG. 10( b).
The substrate W can be transferred to and from a transfer side S on the opposite side of the rotating mechanism 78 in the reversing mechanism 70 of this substrate reverse moving device 7 a.
In the present embodiment, the substrate reverse moving device 7 a is arranged on a line connecting a position of the indexer robot IR in transferring and receiving the substrate W and a position of the substrate transport robot CR in transferring and receiving the substrate W.
Next, the operation of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a of the present embodiment is described.
First, the indexer robot IR moves to a position that faces the substrate reverse moving device 7 a. In addition, the reversing mechanism 70 is rotated by the moving mechanism 30 a, so that the transfer side S faces the indexer robot IR.
In this state, one transport arm of the indexer robot IR advances in an advance/withdraw direction V1 parallel to the V direction, so that the substrate W is carried into the substrate reverse moving device 7 a.
Then, the rotating mechanism 78 operates to rotate the first movable member 74 and the second movable member 75 of the reversing mechanism 70 through 180 degrees around the horizontal axis while the reversing mechanism 70 rotates through 180 degrees around the rotating shaft 3 g in the θ direction. Thus, the transfer side S of the reversing mechanism 70 faces the substrate transport robot CR while the substrate W is reversed.
In this state, one transport arm of the substrate transport robot CR advances in an advance/withdraw direction V2 parallel to the V direction, so that the substrate W is carried out of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a.
Meanwhile, when the substrate W is carried into the substrate reverse moving device 7 a by the substrate transport robot CR, the reversing mechanism 70 rotates to allow the transfer side S to face the indexer robot IR while reversing the substrate W by operations reverse to the above-described operations. In the state, the substrate W is carried out of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a by the indexer robot IR.

(2-3) Effects of the Second Embodiment

According to the substrate processing apparatus 100 a of the present embodiment, the substrate reverse moving device 7 a has both the function of the shuttle transporting mechanism that mediates the substrate W transferred between the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR and the function of the substrate reversing mechanism that reverses the substrate W. That is, the moving mechanism 30 a of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a rotates the reversing mechanism 70 through 180 degrees so that the reversing mechanism 70 faces the first transfer direction toward the advance/withdraw direction V1 or a second transfer direction toward the advance/withdraw direction V2, thereby allowing the substrate W to be transferred between the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR and to be reversed.
Thus, the substrate transport robot CR performs the two transporting processes for the single substrate W, that is, a transporting process from the substrate reverse moving device 7 a to the processing unit and a transporting process from the processing unit to the substrate reverse moving device 7 a.
As described above, the number of the transporting processes by the substrate transport robot CR is reduced, so that the throughput of the processing of the substrate W is improved.
In addition, the transfer portion 3 including the substrate reverse moving device 7 a is provided in the position of the transport region C between the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR, so that the configuration of the existing substrate processing apparatus (the configuration of the so-called platform) is not required to be changed. This can suppress the increase in the production cost of the substrate processing apparatus 100 a.

(3) Third Embodiment

(3-1) Configuration of Substrate Processing Apparatus

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a third embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 11, a configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 b according to the third embodiment is different from the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 100 a according to the second embodiment in that the fluid boxes 2 a, 2 c and the processing units MP1, MP2, MP5, MP6 are not provided, and the substrate reverse moving device 7 a of the transfer portion 3 is provided in a different arrangement. Accordingly, the substrate processing apparatus 100 b according to the present embodiment is composed of the four processing units MP3, MP4, MP7, MP8. The arrangement of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a is described with reference to drawings.
As shown in FIG. 11, the substrate reverse moving device 7 a is provided in a position spaced sideward from the line connecting the position of the indexer robot IR in transferring and receiving the substrate W and the position of the substrate transport robot CR in transferring and receiving the substrate W. Accordingly, a rotation angle, between the advance/withdraw direction of the transport arm when the indexer robot IR stores and takes the substrate W in and out of the carrier 1 and the advance/withdraw direction of the transport arm when the indexer robot IR transfers and receives the substrate W to and from the substrate reverse moving device 7 a, of the indexer robot IR becomes smaller than 180 degrees.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a in the third embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 12, the substrate reverse moving device 7 a is arranged in a position where the indexer robot IR can transfer and receive the substrate W to and from the substrate reverse moving device 7 a when the indexer robot IR is rotated so that the advance/withdraw direction of the transport arm rotates through, for example, 120 degrees in the −θ direction from the V direction toward the carrier 1.
Next, an operation of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a in the present embodiment is described.
First, the indexer robot IR rotates the advance/withdraw direction of the transport arm through, for example, 120 degrees from the V direction toward the carrier 1 to the −θ direction while moving to a central portion of the indexer ID. Moreover, the reversing mechanism 70 is rotated by the moving mechanism 30 a (FIG. 10), so that the transfer side S (FIG. 10) faces the indexer robot IR.
In this state, one transport arm of the indexer robot IR advances in the advance/withdraw direction V1, so that the substrate W is carried into the substrate reverse moving device 7 a.
Then, the reversing mechanism 70 reverses the substrate W while rotating through, for example, 120 degrees in the +θ direction. Accordingly, the transfer side S (FIG. 10) of the reversing mechanism 70 faces the substrate transport robot CR as indicated by the dotted line. In this state, one transport arm of the substrate transport robot CR advances in the advance/withdraw direction V2 at, for example, 120 degrees to the V direction, so that the substrate W is carried out of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a.
Meanwhile, when the substrate W is carried into the substrate reverse moving device 7 a by the substrate transport robot CR, the reversing mechanism 70 rotates through, for example, 120 degrees so that the transfer side S (FIG. 10) faces the indexer robot IR while the substrate W is reversed by the reversing mechanism 70 by operations reverse to the above-mentioned operations. In the state, the substrate W is carried out of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a by the indexer robot IR.

(3-2) Effects of the Third Embodiment

According to the substrate processing apparatus 100 b of the present embodiment, the substrate reverse moving device 7 a has both the function of the shuttle transporting mechanism that mediates the substrate W transferred between the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR and the function of the substrate reversing mechanism that reverses the substrate W. That is, the moving mechanism 30 a of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a rotates the reversing mechanism 70 through, for example, 120 degrees so that the reversing mechanism faces the first transfer direction toward the advance/withdraw direction V1 or the second transfer direction toward the advance/withdraw direction V2, thereby allowing the substrate W to be transferred between the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR and to be reversed.
Thus, the substrate transport robot CR performs the two transporting processes for the single substrate W, that is, the transporting process from the substrate reverse moving device 7 a to the processing unit and the transporting process from the processing unit to the substrate reverse moving device 7 a.
As described above, the number of the transporting processes by the substrate transport robot CR is reduced, so that the throughput of the processing of the substrate W is improved.
In addition, the substrate reverse moving device 7 a is provided in the position spaced sideward from the line connecting the position of the indexer robot IR in transferring and receiving the substrate W and the position of the substrate transport robot CR in transferring and receiving the substrate W. Accordingly, the indexer robot IR rotates through an angle of smaller than 180 degrees in the −θ direction, so that the indexer robot IR can transport the substrate W between the carrier 1 and the substrate reverse moving device 7 a. In addition, the reversing mechanism 70 of the substrate reverse moving device 7 a rotates through an angle of smaller than 180 degrees in the +θ direction, so that the substrate W is transferred between the indexer robot IR and the substrate transport robot CR. Accordingly, a transport time of the substrate W by the indexer robot IR and a transfer time of the substrate W by the substrate reverse moving device 7 a are shortened. This allows the throughput of the processing of the substrate W to be further improved.

(4) Other Embodiments

The reversing mechanism 70 has the configuration where the reversing mechanism 70 reverses the substrate W while holding the substrate W such that the substrate W is sandwiched from its both surface sides in the above-described embodiments, however, the reversing mechanism 70 may have another configuration. For example, the reversing mechanism 70 may have the configuration where the substrate W is reversed in the state where two parts, being opposite to each other, on the peripheral portion of the substrate W are held by the reversing mechanism 70.
While the case where the substrate W is processed by any of the processing units and the substrate W after the processing is subsequently transferred to the substrate reverse moving device 7, 7 a by the substrate transport robot CR is described as an example in the above-described embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this and the substrate W after the above-described processing may be carried into another processing unit by the substrate transport robot CR and subsequently subjected to the processing by the processing unit.
While the substrate reverse moving device 7 a is arranged in a position anticlockwise from the V direction, centered around the rotation shaft of the indexer robot IR, in the above-described third embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this and the substrate reverse moving device 7 a may be arranged in a position clockwise from the V direction, centered around the above-described rotation shaft.
(5) Correspondences between Structural Elements in Claims and Elements in the Embodiments
In the following paragraphs, non-limiting examples of correspondences between various elements recited in the claims below and those described above with respect to various embodiments of the present invention are explained.
In the above-described embodiments, the transport region C is an example of a carrying in and out region, the carrier 1 is an example of a storing container, the carrier platform 1 a is an example of a container platform, the indexer robot IR is an example of a first transport device, the substrate transport robot CR is an example of a second transport device, the substrate reverse moving devices 7, 7 a are examples of a transfer portion, the reversing mechanism 70 is an example of a reversing mechanism and the moving mechanisms 30, 30 a are examples of a moving mechanism.
Moreover, the first transfer position is an example of a position where the substrate can be transferred between the first transport device and the reversing device, the second transfer position is an example of a position where the substrate can be transferred between the second transport device and the reversing device, the transport arms am4, cm4 are examples of a first supporter, and the transport arms bm4, dm4 are examples of a second supporter in the above-described embodiments.
Furthermore, the advance/withdraw direction V1 is an example of a first advance/withdraw direction, the advance/withdraw direction V2 is an example of a second advance/withdraw direction, the ±θ direction (around the axis in the T direction) is an example of a circumferential direction centered around an axis in a substantially vertical direction, the U direction is an example of a first axis direction, the V direction is an example of a second axis direction and the advance/withdraw direction V1 is an example of a third axis direction in the above-described embodiments.
As each of various elements recited in the claims, various other elements having configurations or functions described in the claims can be also used.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus that subjects a substrate having one surface and the other surface to processing, comprising:

a processing region for processing the substrate;

a carrying in and out region for carrying the substrate into and out of said processing region; and

a transfer portion for transferring the substrate between said processing region and said carrying in and out region, wherein

said carrying in and out region includes

a container platform where a storing container that stores the substrate is placed, and

a first transport device that transports the substrate between the storing container that is placed on said container platform and said transfer portion,

said processing region includes

a processing unit that performs the processing on the substrate, and

a second transport device that transports the substrate between said transfer portion and said processing unit, and

said transfer portion includes

a reversing mechanism that reverses the one surface and the other surface of the substrate, and

a moving mechanism that moves said reversing mechanism so that the substrate can be transferred between said first transport device and said reversing mechanism and transferred between said second transport device and said reversing mechanism.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving mechanism linearly moves said reversing mechanism back and forth in a horizontal direction between a position where the substrate can be transferred between said first transport device and said reversing mechanism and a position where the substrate can be transferred between said second transport device and said reversing mechanism.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first transport device includes a first supporter that supports the substrate and is provided so as to advance and withdraw, said first supporter advances and withdraws in a first advance/withdraw direction with respect to said reversing mechanism when transferring and receiving the substrate to and from said reversing mechanism,

said second transport device includes a second supporter that supports the substrate and is provided so as to advance and withdraw, said second supporter advances and withdraws in a second advance/withdraw direction with respect to said reversing mechanism when transferring and receiving the substrate to and from said reversing mechanism, and

said moving mechanism rotates said reversing mechanism around a substantially vertical axis so that said reversing mechanism faces a first transfer direction toward said first advance/withdraw direction or a second transfer direction toward said second advance/withdraw direction.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said reversing mechanism is arranged so that a rotation angle between said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is 180 degrees.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said reversing mechanism is arranged so that a rotation angle between said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is smaller than 180 degrees.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first transport device is provided so as to move in parallel to a first axis direction, stores and takes the substrate in and out of the storing container that is placed on said container platform in a state where said first transport device faces a second direction perpendicular to said first axis direction, and transfers and receives the substrate to and from said reversing mechanism in a state where said first transport device faces a third axis direction at an angle of smaller than 180 degrees to said second axis direction.

7. A substrate processing method for subjecting a substrate to processing by a substrate processing apparatus including a carrying in and out region that includes a container platform and a first transport device, a processing region that includes a processing unit and a second transport device and a transfer portion for transferring the substrate between said processing region and said carrying in and out region, comprising the steps of:

taking the substrate before processing out of a storing container that is placed on said container platform and transferring the taken out substrate before the processing to said transfer portion by said first transport device;

moving said reversing mechanism so that the substrate before the processing can be transferred from said reversing mechanism to said second transport device while reversing one surface and the other surface of the substrate before the processing by a reversing mechanism in said transfer portion;

transporting the substrate before the processing from said transfer portion to said processing unit by said second transport device;

processing the substrate before the processing in said processing unit;

transporting the substrate having been processed in said processing unit from said processing unit to said transfer portion by said second transport device;

moving said reversing mechanism so that the substrate after the processing can be transferred from said transfer portion to said first transport device while reversing the other surface and the one surface of the substrate after the processing by said reversing mechanism in said transfer portion; and

receiving the substrate after the processing from said transfer portion and storing the received substrate after the processing in said storing container by said first transport device.