Substrate processing apparatus and method for storing substrate storage container

Abstract

The invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a method for storing a substrate storage container. More substrate storage containers than in the prior art are stored in a storage unit in which a substrate processing container in which a substrate is stored is temporarily standby. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate is provided with: a substrate storage container placement unit on which a substrate storage container for storing a substrate to be processed is placed; and a storage area that is disposed close to the substrate storage container placement unit and that stores the substrate storage containers, the storage area having storage units on which a plurality of substrate storage containers are placed and stored in the horizontal direction, the storage area having a plurality of vertical layers, and the storage unit located at the uppermost part being capable of transferring the substrate storage containers between the storage unit and the top traveling vehicle, and the storage unit located at the uppermost part being capable of transferring the substrate storage containers between the storage unit and the top traveling vehicle. The top traveling vehicle moves above the substrate processing apparatus, and another storage part located below the uppermost storage part carries and stores the substrate storage container in a direction different from that of the substrate storage container carried and stored in the uppermost storage part.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of an application with an application date of October 30, 2020, application number 202011195798.1, and invention name “Substrate processing device and substrate storage container storage method”. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate storage container storage method. Background Art

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing system having a structure in which a cassette standby module for placing a plurality of cassettes for carrying substrates into the processing system on standby is provided adjacent to a carry-in / carry-out module for carrying substrates into and out of the processing system.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-10287 Summary of the invention

[0005] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0006] The technology disclosed herein is to store more substrate storage containers than conventionally in a storage section that temporarily puts substrate processing containers storing substrates on standby.

[0007] Solutions for solving problems

[0008] The first technical scheme of the present disclosure is a substrate processing device, which is used to process substrates, and the substrate processing device comprises: a substrate storage container loading section, which loads substrate storage containers on the substrate processing device, and the substrate storage containers store substrates to be processed; and a storage area, which is configured to be close to the substrate storage container loading section and is used to store the substrate storage containers, the storage area enables the storage section for loading and storing multiple substrate storage containers in a horizontal direction to have multiple upper and lower layers, the storage section located at the top can transfer the substrate storage containers between it and a top traveling vehicle, the top traveling vehicle moves above the substrate processing device, and other storage sections located below the storage section located at the top load and store the substrate storage containers in a different orientation from the substrate storage containers loaded and stored in the storage section located at the top.

[0009] The second technical solution of the present disclosure is based on the substrate processing device described in the first technical solution, wherein the substrate processing device has a carrying in and carrying out unit, which carries the substrate in and out between the substrate storage container on the substrate storage container loading unit and the processing unit side of the substrate processing device, and the storage area is arranged on the upper side of the carrying in and carrying out unit.

[0010] The third technical solution of the present disclosure is a substrate processing device according to the first or second technical solution, wherein the storage section located at the top has a substrate supporting section, which can move between a handover position and a storage position for storing the substrate storage container, and the handover position is the position of the substrate supporting section when the substrate storage container is handed over between the storage section and the top traveling vehicle above the substrate storage container loading section.

[0011] A fourth technical solution of the present disclosure is a substrate processing device according to the second or third technical solution, wherein a conveying arm is provided in the carrying-in and carrying-out section, and the conveying arm carries the substrate in and out between the substrate storage container on the substrate storage container loading section and the processing section side of the substrate processing device.

[0012] The carrying-in and carrying-out section is airtightly partitioned from the storage area.

[0013] A fifth technical solution of the present disclosure is a substrate processing device according to any one of the first to fourth technical solutions, wherein the substrate processing device comprises a transfer device capable of transferring the substrate storage container between a storage unit located at the top, another storage unit located below the storage unit located at the top, and the substrate storage container placement unit.

[0014] The transfer device includes a mechanism for changing the orientation in the horizontal direction while holding the substrate storage container.

[0015] A sixth technical solution of the present disclosure is the substrate processing apparatus according to the fifth technical solution, wherein the transfer device can move three-dimensionally and has a rotating mechanism that rotates the held substrate storage container at least 90 degrees in the horizontal direction around the held position.

[0016] The seventh technical solution of the present disclosure is a substrate processing device according to the fifth or sixth technical solution, wherein another storage area for storing substrate storage containers is provided at a position opposite to the storage area across the substrate storage container loading section, and the transferring device can transfer the substrate storage container stored in the other storage area to the storage section located at the top and the substrate storage container loading section.

[0017] An eighth technical solution of the present disclosure is a substrate storage container storage method, which is a substrate storage container storage method for storing substrates, wherein:

[0018] The substrate storage container is stored in a storage area, and the storage area is configured to be close to a substrate storage container loading portion of a substrate processing device that processes substrates.

[0019] In the storage area, a storage unit for placing and storing a plurality of substrate storage containers in a horizontal direction is provided in multiple layers up and down.

[0020] The storage unit located at the top can transfer the substrate storage container between the storage unit and a top traveling vehicle, and the top traveling vehicle moves above the substrate processing apparatus.

[0021] In other storage sections located below the storage section located at the uppermost portion, substrate storage containers are placed and stored in an orientation different from that of the substrate storage containers placed and stored in the storage section located at the uppermost portion.

[0022] The ninth technical scheme of the present disclosure is a substrate processing device, which is used to process substrates and is characterized in that the substrate processing device comprises: a substrate storage container loading section, which loads substrate storage containers on the substrate processing device, and the substrate storage containers store substrates to be processed; and a storage area, which is configured to be close to the substrate storage container loading section and is used to store the substrate storage containers, the storage area makes the storage section for loading and storing multiple substrate storage containers in the horizontal direction have multiple layers up and down, and other storage sections on the lower side below the storage section on the upper side in the storage area load and store the substrate storage containers in a different orientation from the substrate storage containers loaded and stored in the storage section on the upper side, and the substrate processing device also has a transfer device, which can transfer the substrate storage containers between the storage section on the upper side and the other storage sections on the lower side, and the transfer device has a mechanism for changing the orientation in the horizontal direction while holding the substrate storage containers.

[0023] The tenth technical scheme of the present disclosure is a substrate processing device, which is used to process substrates, and is characterized in that the substrate processing device comprises: a substrate storage container loading section, which loads substrate storage containers on the substrate processing device, and the substrate storage containers store substrates to be processed; and a storage area, which is configured to be close to the substrate storage container loading section and is used to store the substrate storage containers, the storage area makes the storage section that loads and stores multiple substrate storage containers in the horizontal direction have multiple layers up and down, and other storage sections on the lower side below the storage section on the upper side in the storage area load and store the substrate storage containers in a different orientation from the substrate storage containers loaded and stored on the storage section on the upper side, and the substrate processing device comprises a loading and unloading section including a conveying arm, and the loading and unloading section conveys the substrates between the substrate storage containers on the substrate storage container loading section and the processing section side of the substrate processing device, the height of the loading and unloading section is lower than the height of the processing section, and at least one storage section is arranged on the upper side of the loading and unloading section.

[0024] The eleventh technical scheme of the present disclosure is a substrate storage container storage method, which is a substrate storage container storage method for storing substrates, characterized in that the substrate storage container is stored in a storage area, which is configured to be close to a substrate storage container loading part of a substrate processing device for processing substrates, and in the storage area, the storage parts for loading and storing multiple substrate storage containers in a horizontal direction are arranged in multiple layers up and down, and other storage parts on the lower side below the storage parts on the upper side in the storage area load and store the substrate storage containers in an orientation different from that of the substrate storage containers loaded and stored in the storage parts on the upper side, and the substrate storage containers are transferred between the storage parts on the upper side and the other storage parts on the lower side by a transferring device having a mechanism for changing the orientation in the horizontal direction while holding the substrate storage containers.

[0025] A twelfth technical scheme of the present disclosure is a substrate storage container storage method, which is a substrate storage container storage method for storing substrates, characterized in that the substrate storage container storage method includes: the substrate storage container is stored in a storage area, the storage area is configured to be close to a substrate storage container loading part of a substrate processing device for processing substrates, in the storage area, the storage parts for loading and storing a plurality of substrate storage containers in a horizontal direction are arranged in multiple layers, and other storage parts on the lower side below the storage parts on the upper side in the storage area load and store substrate storage containers in a different orientation from the substrate storage containers loaded and stored in the storage parts on the upper side, the height of the carrying-in and carrying-out part including a conveying arm is set lower than the height of the processing part, and at least one of the storage parts is arranged on the upper side of the carrying-in and carrying-out part, and the carrying-in and carrying-out part conveys the substrates between the substrate storage containers on the substrate storage container loading part and the processing part side of the substrate processing device.

[0026] Effects of the Invention

[0027] According to the present disclosure, a larger number of substrate storage containers than conventionally can be stored in a storage section that temporarily keeps a substrate processing container storing substrates on standby. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 It is a side view schematically showing the general structure of the wafer processing apparatus according to the embodiment.

[0029] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the area surrounding the loading and unloading section of a wafer processing device.

[0030] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the storage section at the top of a wafer processing device.

[0031] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Front view of the wafer processing device.

[0032] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a transfer device of a wafer processing device.

[0033] Figure 6 It means in Figure 1 A top view of the storage state of the cassettes placed on the uppermost shelf of the wafer processing apparatus.

[0034] Figure 7 It means that the Figure 6 A top view showing the state of one of the boxes on the uppermost shelf.

[0035] Figure 8 It means that the change from Figure 7 A top view showing the orientation of the box taken out of the top shelf.

[0036] Fig. 9 It means that Figure 8 The box shown has been changed in orientation and is placed on a middle shelf in a top view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] First, the structure of a conventional substrate (hereinafter referred to as wafer) processing system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is described. The processing system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with a box storage box as a storage cabinet, which is adjacent to the input and output module of the processing system and is used to store a plurality of boxes that are input and output relative to the input and output module and put them on standby. The box storage box is usually covered by a shell for atmosphere control, and a box input and output port is formed on the top surface of the shell. In addition, a track for a top traveling vehicle that transports boxes between devices is provided above the box storage box, and the box transport device between devices is configured to be able to input and output boxes from above relative to the box standby module via the input and output port.

[0038] As described above, the box standby module, which is generally referred to as FEX (Foup Exchanger), is a device for temporarily storing a plurality of boxes (Foup: front-opening wafer box) as substrate storage containers, which store a plurality of, for example, 25 wafers processed by a substrate processing device. A plurality of, for example, about 10 boxes are stored inside the FEX. In this way, the FEX has the function of temporarily storing boxes that are fed into and out of the processing system, and therefore, is usually adjacent to the feeding module of the processing system, that is, for example, in Patent Document 1, it is provided on the front surface side of the feeding module of the processing system of the substrate.

[0039] However, when the FEX stores multiple cassettes, the front surfaces of all cassettes, that is, the sides for taking out and putting in wafers, are usually stored aligned toward the side of the carrying-in and carrying-out module of the substrate processing device. In this case, when the FEX is used to store more cassettes, the scale of the FEX has to be expanded.

[0040] Therefore, one aspect of the technology disclosed in the present invention is to store more substrate storage containers than before in a storage area for a storage box.

[0041] Hereinafter, the structure of the wafer processing apparatus as the substrate processing apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in this specification, the same reference numerals are attached to elements having substantially the same functional structure, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0042] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the wafer processing device 1 has a structure in which the following devices are connected as a whole: a carrying in and out station 10, which serves as a carrying in and out unit for a substrate storage container such as a FOUP (hereinafter referred to as a box) that stores a plurality of substrates, i.e., wafers; and a processing station 20, which serves as a processing unit having a plurality of various processing devices (not shown) that perform prescribed processing on the wafer W.

[0043] The loading and unloading station 10 includes a box module 11 and a loading and unloading module 12, which is connected to the box module 11 and serves as a loading and unloading unit for transferring wafers between the loading and unloading station 10 and the processing station 20. The box module 11 includes a box mounting table 13, also called a load port, which can mount a plurality of boxes 30, for example, four boxes 30 in the example shown in the figure, arranged in a row in the Y direction.

[0044] The transport arm 14 is provided in the transport module 12. The transport arm 14 takes out unprocessed wafers in the cassette 30 placed on the cassette stage 13 and transports them to the processing station 20, or transports wafers processed in the processing station 20 to the cassette 30 on the cassette stage 13. The height of the transport module 12 is set lower than that of the processing station 20, and the height of the cassette stage 13 is set lower than that of the transport module 12.

[0045] A box storage area 40 is provided as a storage area on the upper side of the in-and-out module 12. The box storage area 40 is configured to store the box 30 in three storage parts, the storage part 12a of the lowest layer is provided on the upper surface of the in-and-out module 12. In addition, the storage part of the middle layer is set on the shelf 41, and the storage part of the uppermost layer is set on the shelf 42. The above-mentioned shelves 41 and 42 are supported by the wall body 20a on the front surface side of the processing station 20, for example.

[0046] An overhead hoist transport (OHT) is provided above the cassette stage 13 and is movable, for example, along a transport path R0 extending in the Y direction. The OHT can hold and transport the cassette 30 between the wafer processing device 1 and other wafer processing devices provided outside the wafer processing device 1, and can transfer the cassette 30 from above to a loading plate 42a of a shelf 42 described later by descending. Figure 2 As shown, the box 30 has a front surface portion 31 for taking out and putting in wafers, and a locking portion 32 which is a square plate when viewed from above and is arranged on the upper surface. The OHT holds the locking portion 32 when the front surface portion 31 of the box 30 is facing the processing station 20 side of the wafer processing device 1, and moves on the conveying path R0.

[0047] Also like Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , the shelf 42 serving as the storage unit at the top layer can store and arrange four boxes 30 in the Y direction. Each box 30 is placed on a placement plate 42a provided on the shelf 42. A support member 42b directly supporting the lower surface of the box 30 is provided on each placement plate 42a serving as a substrate support unit. Figure 3 As shown, the loading plate 42a is slidable in the X direction. By moving the loading plate 42a in the negative direction of the X direction, the box 30 held by the OHT can be received at a position above the box loading table 13. In addition, the OHT can receive the box 30 on the loading plate 42a.

[0048] In this manner, the shelf 42 serving as the uppermost storage portion, similarly to the cassette mounting table 13 , arranges and mounts the cassettes 30 so that the front surfaces 31 of the cassettes 30 face the processing station 20 side.

[0049] On the other hand, Figure 2 , Figure 4 As shown, the bottom storage section 12a and the shelf 41 which serves as the middle storage section arranged on the upper surface of the input and output module 12 carry and store the box 30 in a different orientation from the box 30 placed on the top shelf 42, i.e., with the front surface 31 all facing the negative direction of the Y direction.

[0050] The length of the shelf 41 and the storage section 12a in the Y direction is the same as the length of the uppermost shelf 42. The length of the depth of the box 30 is shorter than the length of the width. Therefore, by placing the front surface section 31 in the negative direction of the Y direction, more boxes 30 can be placed and stored compared to the case where the boxes are placed and stored on the uppermost shelf 42. In the example shown in the figure, five boxes 30 can be placed and stored on the shelf 41 and the storage section 12a. Therefore, more boxes 30 can be stored compared to the case where the boxes 30 placed on the shelf 41 and the storage section 12a are placed with their front surface section 31 facing the processing station 20 side in the same manner as the boxes 30 placed on the uppermost shelf 42.

[0051] In this case, as described above, the cassette 30 received from the OHT is placed on the uppermost shelf 42 with the front surface 31 facing the processing station 20 , and therefore the orientation of the cassette 30 needs to be changed and transferred to the shelf 41 and the storage section 12 a .

[0052] In this embodiment, using Figure 5 The transfer device support mechanism 50 and the transfer device 60 shown in the figure realize this function. Figure 2 As shown, the transfer device support mechanism 50 has support columns 51 and 52 on both sides of the box mounting table 13. A transfer device support member 53 is provided between the support columns 51 and 52. The transfer device support member 53 can be moved up and down in the Z direction along the support columns 51 and 52 by a suitable driving mechanism (not shown).

[0053] The base 61 of the transfer device 60 is movable in the longitudinal direction of the transfer device support member 53, that is, in the Y direction, by a suitable driving mechanism (not shown). The base 61 is provided with a sliding body 62 that is movable in the X direction by a suitable driving mechanism (not shown). Moreover, on the lower surface side of the sliding body 62, a holding portion 63 is rotatable by a suitable driving mechanism (not shown). The holding portion 63 of the embodiment has a structure that holds the locking portion 32 provided on the upper surface of the box 30 in a manner of holding the locking portion 32 from both sides.

[0054] In more detail, for example, the sliding body 62 is Figure 5 In the state shown, the locking portion 32 of the cartridge 30 is held by the holding portion 63 by moving in the positive direction of the X direction. For example, the slider 62 is retracted in the negative direction of the X direction, and the holding portion 63 is rotated by the rotating mechanism, thereby changing the orientation of the held cartridge 30. In the embodiment, the orientation of the cartridge 30 can be changed to any orientation of 360 degrees.

[0055] According to the above configuration, the transfer device 60 can move three-dimensionally and can rotate the held cassette 30 at least 90 degrees in the horizontal direction around the held position.

[0056] Next, an example of a transfer procedure of the cassette 30 in the embodiment including the transfer device 60 having such a structure will be described.

[0057] First, as mentioned above, Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , the loading plate 42a of the shelf 42 as the uppermost storage unit slides in the negative direction of the X direction and waits at the receiving position. Then, the box 30 held by the OHT is lowered in this state and loaded on the loading plate 42a. The loading plate 42a on which the box 30 is loaded slides in the positive direction of the X direction and returns to the predetermined position of the shelf 42. For example, Figure 6 The top view shows a state where four boxes 30 are placed on the shelf 42.

[0058] Afterwards, if Figure 5 As shown, the transfer device 60 moves to the position of taking out the box 30, and moves the slide body 62 in the positive direction of the X direction to hold the locking portion 32 of the box 30. In this state, the transfer device 60 is temporarily raised, and then the slide body 62 is moved in the negative direction of the X direction. Figure 7 As shown, the box 30 is retracted from the shelf 42.

[0059] Then, the holding portion 63 is rotated by the rotating mechanism, so that Figure 8 As shown, the orientation of the retained box 30 can be changed. Figure 8 In the example of , the front surface portion 31 of the box 30 is rotated 90 degrees clockwise.

[0060] In this state, the transfer device 60 is moved in the Z direction to a position set slightly higher than the height of the shelf 41 or the storage unit 12a on which the box 30 is placed in a manner to change the orientation of the box 30, and the base 61 is moved in the Y direction. Fig. 9 As shown, it is moved to a position where it is placed on the shelf 41 or the storage section 12a. Fig. 9 In the example of , it is placed on the shelf 41 of the middle layer. In addition, such a transfer device 60 may be moved in the Z direction and the Y direction at the same time.

[0061] Then, the slide body 62 of the transfer device 60 is moved toward the shelf 41 side, and the held box 30 is moved onto the support member 41b of the predetermined placement plate 41a of the shelf 41. Next, the transfer device 60 is lowered, and after the box 30 is placed on the support member 41b at the predetermined position, the slide body 62 is retracted.

[0062] By moving the transfer device 60 in this way, the orientation of the cassettes 30 can be changed, and the cassettes 30 can be placed and stored in a row on the shelf 41 or the storage section 12 a .

[0063] As described above, by placing the cassettes 30 on the shelf 41 and the storage section 12 a with the orientation of the cassettes 30 changed relative to the uppermost shelf 42 , more cassettes 30 can be stored in the cassette storage area 40 than in the related art.

[0064] In addition, when the orientation of the device is changed, Figure 2 When the box 30, which is placed with the front surface 31 of the box 30 facing the negative direction of the Y direction, is placed on the box mounting table 13 in a changed direction as shown in the figure, it is sufficient to move the transfer device 60 in the steps opposite to the above steps. That is, the slide body 62 is moved forward relative to the box 30 placed on the shelf 41, and the locking portion 32 of the box 30 is held by the holding portion 63. Then, after temporarily raising the transfer device 60, it is retreated, and then the holding portion 63 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction so that the front surface 31 of the held box 30 faces the processing station 20 side. Then, it is sufficient to place the box 30 at a predetermined position on the box mounting table 13 in this state. The same steps are used for the case of transferring to the uppermost shelf 42.

[0065] The transfer device 60 is not limited to the structure shown above, and any transfer device can be applied as long as it can move three-dimensionally and has a structure that can rotate the held cassette 30 by 90 degrees or more in the horizontal direction.

[0066] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the cassette storage area 40 is provided above the carry-in / carry-out module 12, so that the floor space of the wafer processing apparatus 1 is not increased. A large number of cassettes 30 on temporary standby can be placed and stored.

[0067] In addition, a conveying arm 14 is provided in the input and output module 12 as described above, but the input and output module 12 is usually an airtightly enclosed area, so dust and particles will not flow between the box storage area 40 set on the upper side of the input and output module 12 and the input and output module 12.

[0068] In addition, in order to maintain a clean atmosphere in the box storage area 40 itself, the entire transfer device support mechanism 50, the transfer device 60, and the box storage area 40 are covered with a panel, etc., and an opening through which the OHT and the box 30 can pass is formed only in the part between the OHT and the top shelf 42 for transferring the box 30, or a gate that can open and close the opening itself can be further provided.

[0069] In addition, in the case of storing more cassettes 30, for example, another storage area similar to the cassette storage area 40 may be provided on the opposite side (negative direction in the X direction) of the processing station 20 across the transfer device support mechanism 50 and the transfer device 60. In this case as well, if the shelves and the like for placing and storing the cassettes 30 in a manner of changing the orientation are provided in multiple layers in the other storage area similar to the cassette storage area 40, a very large number of cassettes 30 can be stored and stored. In this case, as described above, the slider 62 of the transfer device 60 can move in the X direction, and therefore can reach the cassettes, shelves, etc. stored in the other storage area.

[0070] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all aspects and should not be construed as restrictive. The embodiments described above may be omitted, replaced, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims and the spirit thereof.

Claims

1. A substrate processing device for processing a substrate, characterized in that: The substrate processing device comprises: a substrate storage container loading portion for loading a substrate storage container on the substrate processing apparatus, the substrate storage container storing a substrate to be processed; and a storage area, which is arranged close to the substrate storage container placement portion and is used to store the substrate storage container; The storage area has a storage section for placing and storing a plurality of substrate storage containers in a horizontal direction and has multiple upper and lower layers. The other storage parts located below the upper storage parts in the storage area are used to store substrate storage containers in a different orientation from that of the substrate storage containers stored in the upper storage parts. The substrate processing apparatus further includes a transfer device capable of transferring the substrate storage container between the upper storage section and the other storage section at the lower side, and the transfer device has a mechanism for changing the orientation in the horizontal direction while holding the substrate storage container.

2. A substrate processing device for processing a substrate, characterized in that: The substrate processing device comprises: a substrate storage container loading portion for loading a substrate storage container on the substrate processing apparatus, the substrate storage container storing a substrate to be processed; and a storage area, which is arranged close to the substrate storage container placement portion and is used to store the substrate storage container; The storage area has a storage section for placing and storing a plurality of substrate storage containers in a horizontal direction and has multiple upper and lower layers. The other storage parts located below the upper storage parts in the storage area are used to store substrate storage containers in a different orientation from that of the substrate storage containers stored in the upper storage parts. The substrate processing apparatus includes a carrying unit including a carrying arm, and the carrying unit carries the substrate between the substrate storage container on the substrate storage container placement unit and the processing unit side of the substrate processing apparatus. The height of the carrying-in and carrying-out section is lower than that of the processing section, and at least one of the storage sections is provided on the upper side of the carrying-in and carrying-out section.

3. The substrate processing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The upper storage section includes a substrate supporting section that can move between a handover position and a storage position for storing the substrate storage container. The handover position is a position where the substrate supporting section is located when the substrate storage container is handed over between the storage section and a top traveling vehicle above the substrate storage container loading section. The top traveling vehicle moves above the substrate processing device.

4. The substrate processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transfer device is movable in three dimensions and has a rotation mechanism for rotating the held substrate storage container at least 90 degrees in the horizontal direction around the held position.

5. The substrate processing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The upper storage portion has a first shelf. The other storage part at the lower side has a second shelf having the same length as the first shelf. The number of the substrate storage containers placed on the second shelf is greater than the number of the substrate storage containers placed on the first shelf.

6. A method for storing a substrate storage container, which is a method for storing a substrate storage container for storing substrates, characterized in that: The substrate storage container is stored in a storage area, and the storage area is arranged close to a substrate storage container loading portion of a substrate processing device for processing substrates. In the storage area, a storage unit for placing and storing a plurality of substrate storage containers in a horizontal direction is provided in multiple layers up and down. The other storage parts located below the upper storage parts in the storage area are used to store substrate storage containers in a different orientation from that of the substrate storage containers stored in the upper storage parts. The substrate storage container is transferred between the upper storage section and the other storage section on the lower side by a transfer device having a mechanism for changing the orientation in the horizontal direction while holding the substrate storage container.

7. A method for storing a substrate storage container, which is a method for storing a substrate storage container for storing substrates, characterized in that: The substrate storage container storage method comprises: The substrate storage container is stored in a storage area, and the storage area is arranged close to a substrate storage container loading portion of a substrate processing device for processing substrates. In the storage area, a storage unit for placing and storing a plurality of substrate storage containers in a horizontal direction is provided in multiple layers up and down. The other storage parts located below the upper storage parts in the storage area are used to store substrate storage containers in a different orientation from that of the substrate storage containers stored in the upper storage parts. The height of the carrying-in and carrying-out part including the conveying arm is set lower than the height of the processing part of the substrate processing device, and at least one storage part is arranged on the upper side of the carrying-in and carrying-out part. The carrying-in and carrying-out part conveys the substrate between the substrate storage container on the substrate storage container loading part and the processing part side.

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