Substrate transfer device and transfer method, group device, and device and method for manufacturing electronic device

Abstract

The invention relates to a substrate conveying apparatus, a grouping apparatus, an electronic device manufacturing apparatus, a substrate conveying method, and an electronic device manufacturing method, which can restrain large size of a conveying chamber. The substrate conveying device is provided with a conveying unit and a control part for controlling the operation of the accommodating unit. The conveying unit is provided with a base part, a first connecting part connected with the base part in a mode of rotating around a first rotating axis, a second connecting part connected with the first connecting part in a mode of rotating around a second rotating axis, and a supporting part connected with the second connecting part and supporting the substrate. When the substrate is transported between the transport chamber and the plurality of connection chambers connected to the first side, the control portion controls an operation of the transport unit such that a position of the second rotation axis is fixed at the first side, and when the substrate is transported between the transport chamber and the plurality of connection chambers connected to the second side, the control portion controls an operation of the transport unit such that a position of the second rotation axis is fixed at the second side. The position of the second rotation axis is fixed on the second side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a substrate transport apparatus, a grouping apparatus, an electronic device manufacturing apparatus, a substrate transport method, and an electronic device manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0002] Organic EL (OLED) display devices are known as flat panel display devices. The organic EL element constituting the organic EL display device has a basic structure in which a functional layer is formed between two opposing electrodes (cathode and anode), and this functional layer has a light-emitting layer that serves as an organic layer that induces light emission. The functional layer and electrode layer of the organic EL element are formed by depositing the materials constituting each layer on a substrate such as glass via a mask.

[0003] An apparatus for manufacturing electronic devices by forming functional layers and electrode layers on a substrate to create organic EL elements is configured to include a film-forming chamber as a film-forming apparatus and a substrate transport apparatus for transporting the substrate to the film-forming chamber or other chambers. Patent Document 1 discloses a structure comprising a transport unit (robot) disposed inside the transport chamber as a substrate transport apparatus.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-192898 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] The transport chamber needs to be designed to temporarily house the substrate, taking the substrate size into account. However, if the substrate is enlarged, for example, simply enlarging the transport chamber to match the substrate size would result in an increase in the overall size of the manufacturing apparatus.

[0009] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a technology that can suppress the enlargement of the delivery chamber.

[0010] Methods for solving problems

[0011] The substrate conveying device of the present invention includes:

[0012] A conveying unit is disposed inside a conveying chamber connected to multiple connecting chambers. The conveying chamber is used to convey a substrate to the multiple connecting chambers, and the conveying unit conveys the substrate between the conveying chamber and the connecting chambers.

[0013] The control unit controls the operation of the conveying unit.

[0014] Its features are,

[0015] The conveying unit has:

[0016] The base is disposed in the delivery chamber;

[0017] A first connecting portion is connected to the base in a manner that allows it to rotate about a first rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction, and has a first end connected to the base and a second end on the opposite side of the first end.

[0018] A second connecting portion, the second connecting portion being rotatable about a second rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction, is connected to the second end of the first connecting portion; and

[0019] The support portion is rotatably connected to the second connecting portion and supports the substrate.

[0020] When one side of the centerline of the transport chamber relative to a first direction when viewed along the rotation axis is designated as the first side and the other side as the second side, in the transport chamber configured to be connected to a plurality of connecting chambers on the first side and the second side respectively...

[0021] When a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to the first side, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit to fix the position of the second rotation axis on the first side.

[0022] When a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to the second side, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit so that the position of the second rotation axis is fixed on the second side.

[0023] Invention Effects

[0024] According to the present invention, a technique is provided that can suppress the enlargement of the delivery chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the main structure of the manufacturing apparatus for the comparative example electronic device.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the substrate transport operation performed by the substrate transport device of the comparative example.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the main structure of the manufacturing apparatus for the electronic device according to the embodiment.

[0028] Figure 4(a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the conveying unit in the implementation method.

[0029] Figures 5(a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the configuration position and operation of the conveying unit in the embodiment.

[0030] Figure 6 (a) to (d) are explanatory diagrams of the substrate transport operation in the embodiments.

[0031] Figure 7 (a) to (d) are explanatory diagrams of the substrate transport operation in the embodiments.

[0032] Figure 8 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the suppression effect of the large size of the delivery chamber in the embodiment.

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an electronic device manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0034] Figure 10 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the rib structure of the delivery chamber in the embodiment.

[0035] Figure 11 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams illustrating the reinforcing effect of the reinforcing part in the embodiment.

[0036] Figure 12 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of an organic EL display device.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0038] 11 Transport chamber, 50 Substrate transport device, 51 Transport unit, 53 Base, 54 First connecting part, 54a First rotation axis, 55 Second connecting part, 55a Second rotation axis, 57 Support part, 80 Control part, S Substrate, Sd1 First side, Sd2 Second side. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail illustratively. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the constituent components described in this embodiment should be appropriately varied depending on the structure of the device to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. That is, the purpose is not to limit the scope of the present invention to the following embodiments.

[0040] This invention is applicable to the simultaneous transport of a substrate or other object to be film-formed, and the formation of a thin film of a film-forming material on its surface by vapor deposition or sputtering. This invention can be understood as a substrate transport apparatus, its control method, a substrate transport method, and a substrate transport system. This invention can also be understood as a film-forming apparatus, a grouping apparatus, its control method, or a film-forming method. This invention can also be understood as an electronic device manufacturing apparatus and an electronic device manufacturing method. This invention can also be understood as a program for executing a control method using a computer and a storage medium storing the program. The storage medium can be a non-temporary storage medium that can be read by a computer.

[0041] This invention can be applied, for example, to apparatuses that form thin films of film-forming materials on the surface of a substrate or other object being deposited by vapor deposition or sputtering while conveying the substrate. It is particularly suitable for apparatuses that form thin films (material films) with desired patterns by vacuum vapor deposition. As the substrate material, any material can be selected, such as glass, polymer films, silicon wafers, or metals. For example, the substrate can be a glass substrate on which a film such as polyimide is deposited. Furthermore, as the vapor deposition material, any material can be selected, such as organic materials or metallic materials (metals, metal oxides, etc.). It should be noted that, in addition to the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus described below, this invention can also be applied to apparatuses including sputtering apparatuses or CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) apparatuses. Specifically, the technology of this invention can be applied to manufacturing apparatuses for organic electronic devices (e.g., organic light-emitting elements, thin-film solar cells), optical components, etc. One preferred application example of this invention is an apparatus for manufacturing organic light-emitting elements by evaporating a vapor deposition material and depositing it onto a substrate via a mask.

[0042] <Comparative Example>

[0043] Before describing embodiments of the present invention, comparative examples will be described. In the comparative examples, the functions and basic structures of each chamber constituting the manufacturing apparatus for electronic devices are the same as those in the embodiments of the present invention described later. Hereinafter, the basic structure of the manufacturing apparatus for electronic devices will be described using comparative examples.

[0044] (Electronic device manufacturing equipment)

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the main structure of the manufacturing apparatus 100 for a comparative example electronic device. Figure 1This describes the view when observing a portion of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 along the direction of gravity. The electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 includes multiple grouping devices 10 and multiple relay devices 20. Each grouping device 10 and relay device 20 is composed of multiple chambers. In the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100, the grouping devices 10 and relay devices 20 are arranged alternately. The relay device 20 functions as a relay point for conveying a substrate S from one grouping device 10 (a first substrate conveying device) to another grouping device 10 (a second substrate conveying device). That is, the substrate S is conveyed from the grouping device 10 to the relay device 20 downstream in the conveying direction, and from the relay device 20 to the grouping device 10 downstream in the conveying direction. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, upstream and downstream refer to the upstream and downstream sides of the conveying direction of the substrate S in the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100.

[0046] The group device 10 includes a transport chamber 11, multiple film-forming chambers 12 for processing the substrate (e.g., film formation), and multiple mask storage chambers 13 for storing masks before and after use. Multiple connecting chambers (film-forming chambers 12, mask storage chambers 13, etc.) are connected around the transport chamber 11.

[0047] The relay device 20 includes a buffer chamber 21 configured to temporarily accommodate multiple substrates S, a rotating chamber 22 for rotating the substrates S to change their orientation, and an alignment chamber 23 for aligning the substrates S. The buffer chamber 21, the rotating chamber 22, and the alignment chamber 23 are arranged sequentially along the transport direction of the substrates S.

[0048] The transport chamber 11 is a receiving chamber configured to house the substrate S internally. The transport chamber 11 of the comparative example has a roughly regular octagonal shape when viewed along the direction of gravity. In this example, four film-forming chambers 12 and two mask storage chambers 13 are connected to the transport chamber 11, which is a chamber used to transport the substrate to these connected chambers.

[0049] A transport unit 51, configured to transport a substrate S and a mask, is disposed within the transport chamber 11. The transport unit 51 is a robot having a structure in which a manipulator for holding the substrate S or the mask is mounted on a multi-jointed arm. The transport unit 51 constitutes a substrate transport device 50, which is used to transport the substrate S and the mask between the transport chamber 11 and the various chambers connected to the transport chamber 11. Alternatively, the transport chamber 11 can also be considered as a component of the substrate transport device 50.

[0050] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram illustrating the substrate transport operation performed by the substrate transport apparatus 50 of the comparative example. The transport unit 51 receives the substrate S from the alignment chamber 23 of the relay device 20 and transports the substrate S to the film deposition chamber 12. Then, it receives the substrate S from the film deposition chamber 12 after the film deposition process in the group apparatus 10 has been completed and transports it to the buffer chamber 21 of the relay device 20, which is connected to the downstream side. Additionally, the transport unit 51 transports a mask between the film deposition chamber 12 and the mask storage chamber 13.

[0051] Inside the film-forming chamber 12 (also called the film-forming chamber or vapor deposition apparatus), a film-forming unit is provided. This film-forming unit heats the vapor deposition material contained in the evaporation source using a heater, causing it to evaporate and then vapor-deposit it onto the substrate via a mask. The film-forming unit performs the film-forming action on the substrate S inside the film-forming chamber 12. A series of film-forming processes, such as the transfer of the substrate to the transport unit 51, the adjustment (alignment) of the relative position of the substrate and the mask, the fixing of the substrate onto the mask, and film formation (vapor deposition), are performed through the film-forming chamber 12.

[0052] In the mask storage chamber 13, new masks used in the film formation process in the film formation chamber 12 and used masks are stored separately in two boxes. The conveying unit 51 conveys the used mask from the film formation chamber 12 to the box in the mask storage chamber 13, and conveys the new mask stored in the other box in the mask storage chamber 13 to the film formation chamber 12.

[0053] By rotating the substrate S within the rotating chamber 22, the substrates fed into the upstream and downstream grouping devices 10 have the same orientation, thus facilitating substrate processing. However, the relay device 20 is not limited to this structure. For example, it may be configured such that the alignment chamber 23 has a structure and function for changing the orientation of the substrate S, and the relay device 20 does not have the rotating chamber 22.

[0054] The grouping device 10 and the relay device 20 are vacuum devices configured to depressurize the interiors of their respective multiple chambers. The delivery chamber 11, film-forming chamber 12, mask storage chamber 13, rotating chamber 22, alignment chamber 23, etc., are maintained at a high vacuum during the manufacturing process of the organic light-emitting element. The buffer chamber 21 is typically maintained at a low vacuum, but can also be maintained at a high vacuum as needed.

[0055] The operation of the group device 10 and the relay device 20 is controlled by the control unit 80. The control unit 80, together with the transport unit 51, constitutes the substrate transport device 50. The control unit 80 controls, for example, the various operations of the devices in each chamber and the substrate transport operations performed by the transport unit 51, etc. In addition, in this specification, the substrate transport device 50 is sometimes referred to as a "substrate transport system".

[0056] The control unit 80 can be configured as a computer, for example, having a processor, memory, storage, I / O, etc. In this case, the function of the control unit 80 is implemented by the processor executing a program stored in the memory or storage. As the computer, a general-purpose personal computer, an embedded computer, or a PLC (programmable logic controller) can be used. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the control unit 80 can be configured using circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs. It should be noted that the control unit 80 can be provided for each group of devices 10, the substrate conveying device 50, and the film forming device, or multiple devices can be controlled by a single control unit 80.

[0057] Reference Figure 1 The structure of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Other types of apparatus or chambers may be included, and the configuration of these apparatuses or chambers may be varied. For example, the electronic device manufacturing apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention may also have an inline-type structure in which a substrate and a mask are mounted on a carrier and film is formed while being transported within a plurality of film-forming apparatuses arranged in a row. That is, it may also have a structure that combines a group type and an inline type. For example, a group-type manufacturing apparatus may be used to form a film up to the base layer, starting from the film-forming process of the electrode layer (cathode layer), while an inline-type manufacturing apparatus may be used to perform sealing processes and cutting processes, etc.

[0058] In an electronic device manufacturing apparatus, when the substrate S is enlarged, the cavity housing the substrate S also needs to be enlarged. In particular, for the transport cavity 11 where the substrate S repeatedly moves back and forth, to avoid interference with the substrate S inside, it needs to be enlarged while considering the operation of the substrate S and the transport unit 51. However, if the transport cavity 11 is simply enlarged (e.g., with a similar shape), not only the substrate transport device 50 but also the entire electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 becomes larger. In particular, the more the number of substrate transport devices 50 increases, the larger the size of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 becomes. Therefore, as an embodiment of the present invention, a structure capable of suppressing the enlargement of the substrate transport device 50 and the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100, and a control method for the transport unit 51, will be described.

[0059] <Implementation Method>

[0060] Hereinafter, embodiments of an apparatus for manufacturing electronic devices in which the present invention is applied will be described by way of example. However, the apparatus in which the present invention can be applied is not limited thereto, and can also be applied to various manufacturing apparatuses for optical components, etc.

[0061] (Electronic device manufacturing equipment)

[0062] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the main structure of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 3 This describes the view when observing a portion of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 along the direction of gravity. The electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 of this embodiment is used, for example, to manufacture a display panel for an organic EL display device for a smartphone. The structure of this embodiment is particularly suitable for manufacturing apparatuses that, for example, deposit organic EL films on a substrate S with dimensions of approximately 2160 mm × approximately 1250 mm or larger.

[0063] In the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the basic structure (e.g., the main functions of the chambers, etc.) is the same as that of the comparative example. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the parts that are common to the comparative example, and the descriptions are omitted. The main focus is on the different parts.

[0064] like Figure 3 As shown, the transport chamber 11 of this embodiment has a roughly hexagonal shape when viewed along the direction of gravity. The transport chamber 11 is not a regular polygon, but rather a roughly hexagon with two long sides extending towards each other, and all interior angles are obtuse. The short sides extend from both ends of the long sides in a direction toward the opposing long sides. The short sides extending from the two opposing long sides are connected to each other. Thus, the outer periphery of the transport chamber 11 is configured to include two long sides and four short sides. Furthermore, chamfers or similar features may be applied to the intersections of the short and long sides. Additionally, the shape of the transport chamber 11 when viewed along the direction of gravity may be such that some or all of its sides are not straight lines but curves, or it may be elliptical.

[0065] Two film-forming chambers 12 are connected and arranged along the long side of the outer periphery of the delivery chamber 11. Additionally, one of the following chambers—a mask storage chamber 13, a buffer chamber 21, and an alignment chamber 23—is connected to the short side of the outer periphery of the delivery chamber 11. In this example, when viewed from above in the direction of gravity, the chambers are connected to the delivery chamber 11 in a clockwise direction in the following order: two film-forming chambers 12, buffer chamber 21, mask storage chamber 13, two film-forming chambers 12, alignment chamber 23, and mask storage chamber 13. However, the arrangement and number of chambers are not limited to this structure.

[0066] exist Figure 3 In the diagram, the first center line 11a, which passes through the center of the width direction orthogonal to the length direction of the delivery chamber 11 and extends along the length direction, is represented by a dashed line. Similarly, in Figure 3 In the diagram, the second center line 11b, which passes through the center of the transport chamber 11 in the length direction and extends in the width direction, is represented by a dashed line.

[0067] In this embodiment, the group devices 10 connected to the same relay device 20 and arranged adjacent to each other are arranged such that their respective delivery chambers 11 intersect each other with their first center lines 11a (length direction).

[0068] (Conveying unit)

[0069] The structure of the conveying unit 51 in this embodiment will be described. Figure 4 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the conveying unit 51. Figure 4 (a) is a schematic top view of the conveyor unit 51 when viewed along the direction of gravity. Figure 4 (b) shows a schematic side view of the transport unit 51 when viewed in the horizontal direction. It should be noted that the structure of the transport unit 51 (robotic arm, robotic hand) described here is only one example and is not limited to this structure. The transport unit 51 is a transport robot consisting of a robotic hand, i.e., a support part 57, for supporting (carrying) the substrate S, and a three-jointed robotic arm for freely moving the support part 57 to any position in the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system.

[0070] The robotic arm comprises a base 53 fixedly disposed on a mounting surface of the conveying chamber 11, and a first connecting portion 54, a second connecting portion 55, and a third connecting portion 56 sequentially connected to the base 53. The first connecting portion 54 is connected to the base 53 in a manner rotatable about a first rotation axis 54a. The second connecting portion 55 is connected to the first connecting portion 54 in a manner rotatable about a second rotation axis 55a. The third connecting portion 56 is connected to the second connecting portion 55 in a manner rotatable about a third rotation axis 56a. Furthermore, the support portion 57 is connected to the third connecting portion 56 in a manner rotatable about a fourth rotation axis 57a.

[0071] The first rotation axis 54a, the second rotation axis 55a, the third rotation axis 56a, and the fourth rotation axis 57a are all axes extending in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface, along the direction of gravity. It should be noted that extending along does not necessarily mean parallel; it also includes cases where they are not parallel at some angle. That is, in this example, the rotation axis directions of the first connecting part 54, the second connecting part 55, the third connecting part 56, and the support part 57 are along the direction of gravity.

[0072] The first connecting portion 54 has a first end (root) connected to the base portion 53 and a second end (front end) on the opposite side of the first end. A first rotation axis 54a is located at the first end (root) of the first connecting portion 54. The second connecting portion 55 has a third end (root) connected to the second end of the first connecting portion 54 and a fourth end (front end) on the opposite side of the third end. A second rotation axis 55a is located at the second end (front end) of the first connecting portion 54 and at the third end (root) of the second connecting portion 55. The third connecting portion 56 has a fifth end (root) connected to the fourth end of the second connecting portion 55 and a sixth end (front end) on the opposite side of the fifth end. A third rotation axis 56a is located at the fourth end (front end) of the second connecting portion 55 and at the fifth end (root) of the third connecting portion 56. The support portion 57 has a seventh end (root) connected to the sixth end of the third connecting portion 56 and an eighth end (front end) on the opposite side of the seventh end. The fourth rotation axis 57a is located at the sixth end (front end) of the third connecting part 56 and at the seventh end (root) of the support part 57. By combining the rotational movements of the first connecting part 54, the second connecting part 55, the third connecting part 56 and the support part 57, the horizontal position (XY coordinate) of the support part 57 can be arbitrarily displaced.

[0073] The first connecting portion 54 is configured to move up and down relative to the base portion 53 in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface. By moving the first connecting portion 54 up and down, the height of the support portion 57 can be changed, thereby changing the height (Z coordinate) of the substrate S.

[0074] Motors and encoders are respectively provided at the connecting parts of the base 53, the first connecting part 54, the second connecting part 55, and the third connecting part 56. The control unit 80 can obtain the required movement of the conveying unit 51 based on the rotation amount and lifting height of each connecting part, or the three-dimensional coordinates obtained by converting this information.

[0075] The support portion 57 has a pair of spine rods 57b extending from the front end of the third connecting portion 56 and a plurality of ribs 57c extending outward in a direction orthogonal to the spine rods 57b from the sides of the spine rods 57b. A pad 57d for supporting the lower surface of the substrate S is provided on the upper surface of the front end of the ribs 57c. The pad 57d is made of an elastic component such as silicone rubber to provide support without damaging the surface of the substrate S, and a plurality of pads are provided in a configuration that takes into account the deflection of the substrate S.

[0076] Figures 5(a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the configuration and operation of the conveying unit 51. In the following description, the direction parallel to the length direction of the conveying chamber 11 is referred to as the first direction D1, and the direction parallel to the width direction of the conveying chamber 11 is referred to as the second direction D2. In addition, in the first direction D1 (length direction), one side relative to the second center line 11b of the conveying chamber 11 is designated as the first side Sd1, and the other side is designated as the second side Sd2.

[0077] Hereinafter, the four film-forming chambers 12 will be referred to as the first film-forming chamber 12a (first chamber), the second film-forming chamber 12b (second chamber), the third film-forming chamber 12c (third chamber), and the fourth film-forming chamber 12d (fourth chamber), and will be explained differently as needed. Similarly, the two mask storage chambers 13 will be referred to as the first mask storage chamber 13a (fifth chamber) and the second mask storage chamber 13b (sixth chamber), and will be explained differently as needed. The first film-forming chamber 12a, the second film-forming chamber 12b, the first mask storage chamber 13a, and the alignment chamber 23 are connected to the first side Sd1 of the delivery chamber 11, and the third film-forming chamber 12c, the fourth film-forming chamber 12d, the second mask storage chamber 13b, and the buffer chamber 21 are connected to the second side Sd2 of the delivery chamber 11.

[0078] The first film-forming chamber 12a and the first mask reserve chamber 13a are adjacent to the alignment chamber 23, respectively. The second film-forming chamber 12b faces the first film-forming chamber 12a in the second direction D2, with the delivery chamber 11 sandwiched in between. The third film-forming chamber 12c is adjacent to the first film-forming chamber 12a in the first direction D1. The fourth film-forming chamber 12d is adjacent to the second film-forming chamber 12b in the first direction D1, and faces the third film-forming chamber 12c in the second direction D2, with the delivery chamber 11 sandwiched in between. The second mask reserve chamber 13b is adjacent to the third film-forming chamber 12c and the buffer chamber 21.

[0079] The base 53 of the delivery unit 51 is configured such that the first rotation axis 54a is located off the first centerline 11a and on the second centerline 11b. The base 53 (first rotation axis 54a) is positioned closer to the second film-forming chamber 12b and the fourth film-forming chamber 12d than the first film-forming chamber 12a and the third film-forming chamber 12c.

[0080] The substrate transport operation performed by the transport unit 51 of the substrate transport apparatus 50 will be described. The substrate transport operation from the transport chamber 11 to each connecting chamber connected to the transport chamber 11 is performed with the second rotation axis 55a of the transport unit 51 fixed in a predetermined position. That is, the control unit 80 moves the second connecting part 55 and the third connecting part 56 without moving the first connecting part 54, so that the support part 57 moves in and out of the connecting chamber.

[0081] Taking the substrate transport operation to the first film-forming chamber 12a as an example, the operation of the transport unit 51 will be explained in more detail. Figure 5(a) shows the situation at the beginning of the operation of transporting the substrate S from the first film-forming chamber 12a to the transport chamber 11 by the transport unit 51. Figure 5(b) shows the situation during the process of transporting the substrate S from the first film-forming chamber 12a to the transport chamber 11 by the transport unit 51.

[0082] In this embodiment, the connection direction between the delivery chamber 11 and the first film-forming chamber 12a, i.e., the opening direction of the connection portion connecting the delivery chamber 11 and the first film-forming chamber 12a, is the second direction D2. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), when the substrate S is delivered to the first film-forming chamber 12a, the second connecting portion 55 and the third connecting portion 56 are driven to move the support portion 57 holding the substrate S along the second direction D2. Thus, by moving the substrate S along the connection direction (opening direction), or more ideally parallel to the connection direction, interference between the substrate S and each chamber or connection portion can be suppressed. In Figure 5(b), the movement direction of the support portion 57 and the substrate S during the substrate delivery operation to the first film-forming chamber 12a is indicated by a thick line with an arrow.

[0083] In this embodiment, the substrate conveying operation to the first film-forming chamber 12a is performed with the second rotation axis 55a located at a predetermined position on the first side Sd1 and at a predetermined position on the first center line 11a, while restricting the movement of the first connecting portion 54. The predetermined position of the second rotation axis 55a at this time is designated as the first position P1.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the substrate transport operation is performed by means of the line segment L1 connecting the second rotation axis 55a and the fourth rotation axis 57a along the moving direction of the support portion 57. That is, in the substrate transport operation relative to the connecting chamber in this embodiment, the support portion 57 (substrate S) moves from the second rotation axis 55a rather than from the first rotation axis 54a.

[0085] During the operation of transporting (removing) the substrate S from the first film-forming chamber 12a to the transport chamber 11, the transport unit 51 performs an operation opposite to the substrate transport operation described above. That is, in both the substrate transport operation from the transport chamber 11 to the first film-forming chamber 12a and the substrate transport operation from the first film-forming chamber 12a to the transport chamber 11, the transport unit 51 is driven such that the second rotation axis 55a is located at the first position P1 and the line segment L1 connecting the second rotation axis 55a and the fourth rotation axis 57a is along the movement direction of the support portion 57.

[0086] Furthermore, the substrate transport operation relative to the connecting chamber connected to the first side Sd1 of the transport chamber 11 is performed in the same way as the substrate transport operation relative to the first film-forming chamber 12a. Figure 6 (a) to (d) are explanatory diagrams of the substrate transport operation relative to the connecting chamber connected to the first side Sd1 of the transport chamber 11. Figure 6 (a) indicates the substrate transport operation relative to the first film-forming chamber 12a. Figure 6 (b) indicates the substrate transport operation relative to the second film-forming chamber 12b. Figure 6 (c) indicates the substrate transport operation relative to the alignment chamber 23. Figure 6 (d) indicates the substrate transport operation relative to the first mask storage chamber 13a.

[0087] In the substrate transport operation relative to the connecting chamber connected to the first side Sd1 of the transport chamber 11, the transport unit 51 is driven in such a way that the second rotation axis 55a is located at the first position P1 and the line segment L1 connecting the second rotation axis 55a and the fourth rotation axis 57a is along the moving direction of the support 57.

[0088] On the other hand, during the substrate transport operation relative to the connecting chamber connected to the second side Sd2 of the transport chamber 11, the control unit 80 controls the operation of the transport unit 51 in such a way that the second rotation axis 55a is not located at the first position P1 but at a predetermined position on the second side Sd2 and at a predetermined position on the first center line 11a. The predetermined position of the second rotation axis 55a at this time is set as the second position P2.

[0089] Figure 7 (a) to (d) are explanatory diagrams of the substrate transport operation relative to the connecting chamber connected to the first side Sd1 of the transport chamber 11. Figure 7 (a) indicates the substrate transport operation relative to the third film-forming chamber 12c. Figure 7 (b) indicates the substrate transport operation relative to the fourth film-forming chamber 12d. Figure 7 (c) indicates the substrate transport operation relative to the second mask storage chamber 13b. Figure 7(d) indicates the substrate transport operation relative to the buffer chamber 21.

[0090] In the substrate transport operation relative to the connecting chamber connected to the second side Sd2 of the transport chamber 11, the transport unit 51 is driven in such a way that the second rotation axis 55a is located at the second position P2 and the line segment L1 connecting the second rotation axis 55a and the fourth rotation axis 57a is along the moving direction of the support 57.

[0091] Thus, in this embodiment, the starting point of the operation of the conveying unit 51 in the substrate conveying operation is not the first rotation axis 54a, but the second rotation axis 55a. In other words, the first connecting part 54 (second rotation axis 55a) does not move during the substrate conveying operation between the conveying chamber 11 and the connecting chamber, but only moves when the substrate S is conveyed within the conveying chamber 11. That is, with the position of the first connecting part 54 fixed, the support part 57 is moved to convey the substrate S by the rotational movement of the second connecting part 55 centered on the second rotation axis 55a and the rotational movement of the third connecting part 56 centered on the third rotation axis 56a. Moreover, during the substrate conveying operation between the conveying chamber 11 and the connecting chamber, the position of the second rotation axis 55a switches between a first position P1 and a second position P2 depending on the chamber being conveyed. With such operation control of the conveying unit 51, compared to the case where the starting point of the operation is set to the first rotation axis 54a, the range of motion of the conveying unit 51 within the conveying chamber 11 can be set narrower. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the conveying chamber 11.

[0092] Figure 8 (a) and (b) are illustrations of the suppression effect of the large size of the delivery chamber 11. Figure 8 (a) shows a comparison between the roughly octagonal transport chamber 11 of the comparative example and the transport chamber 11 of this embodiment. In order to be configured to accommodate larger substrates S, as... Figure 8 As shown in the upper part of (a), this can be easily addressed by simply enlarging the approximately octagonal chamber with a similar shape. However, in this embodiment, the operation of the conveying unit 51 is controlled in a way that narrows the range of motion. Therefore, as Figure 8 As shown in the lower part of (a), the delivery chamber 11 can be constructed with a smaller size compared to the case of expanding with a similar shape. For example... Figure 8 As shown in (a), the conveying chamber 11 of this embodiment can be configured such that the length Df1 of both sides of the second direction D2 is shortened by the same amount as that of the conveying chamber 11 of the comparative example.

[0093] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the base 53 is provided such that the first rotation axis 54a is offset from the first center line 11a. Therefore, the position of the second rotation axis 55a (first position P1 and second position P2) during the substrate transport operation can be made closer to the second center line 11b. With this structure, the length Df2 on both sides of the transport chamber 11 in the first direction D1 can be shortened respectively.

[0094] Therefore, according to the structure of this embodiment, during the substrate transport operation, the operation of the transport unit 51 is controlled such that the second rotation axis 55a is fixed at either the first position P1 or the second position P2. Moreover, with such an operation control method, it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the transport chamber 11.

[0095] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the second rotation axis 55a is positioned in a cavity at either the first position P1 or the second position P2 during the substrate transport operation, but the configuration is not limited to this structure. For example, in a substrate transport operation relative to a connecting cavity connected to the first side Sd1, the second rotation axis 55a may be fixed at different positions. However, even in this case, it is preferable that the fixed positions of the respective second rotation axes 55a are close to each other. In this case, if the fixed position of the second rotation axis 55a is set at the first side Sd1, and the operation of the transport unit 51 is controlled such that the second rotation axis 55a becomes the starting point of the operation, the same effect as in this embodiment can be obtained. This is also the case in a substrate transport operation relative to a connecting cavity connected to the second side Sd2. That is, in the teaching operation of setting the operation of the transport unit 51 for the substrate transport operation, the position of the second rotation axis 55a can be determined according to the actual device structure.

[0096] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the conveying unit 51 is a three-jointed robotic arm including a first connecting portion 54, a second connecting portion 55, and a third connecting portion 56, but it is not limited to this structure. For example, a conveying unit configured such that it does not have a third connecting portion 56, and the telescopic support portion 57 is connected to the second connecting portion 55 without passing through the third connecting portion 56. In such a structure, by setting the starting point of the action in the substrate conveying operation as the second rotation axis 55a, the effect of suppressing the large size of the conveying chamber 11 can also be obtained.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, only one support portion 57 is provided in the transport unit 51, but the structure is not limited to this. For example, it can also be configured such that the second connecting portion 55 is formed in two parts, with a third connecting portion 56 connected to the front end of each part, and an independent support portion 57 connected to each of the third connecting portions 56. With such a structure, the transport operation of the substrate S and the mask can be performed efficiently.

[0098] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the delivery chamber 11 is configured to be shorter in the second direction D2 (width direction). With this structure, the distance between each of the film-forming chambers 12 and the mask storage chambers 13 can be increased between adjacent group devices 10. That is, the distance between the group devices 10 can be shortened, and the overall length of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100 can be shortened.

[0099] Furthermore, the group devices 10 are arranged such that they intersect with the first center lines 11a of their respective transport chambers 11. That is, in the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100, the approximate transport direction (transport trajectory) of the substrate S becomes zigzag (non-linear). With this structure, the group devices 10 and the relay devices 20 can be arranged to avoid the pillars P of the building housing the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100, thus increasing the degree of freedom in the configuration of the electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100. Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an electronic device manufacturing apparatus 100, and a schematic diagram showing an example of a group of devices 10 arranged in a narrow space, avoiding the pillar P of a building.

[0100] (The rib structure of the delivery chamber)

[0101] Next, the rib structure of the transport chamber 11 will be described. Figure 10 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the rib structure of the transport chamber 11. Figure 10 (a) is a diagram of the delivery chamber 11 viewed from below along the vertical direction. Figure 10 (b) is a perspective view showing the lower surface 11c of the transport chamber 11.

[0102] The conveying chamber 11 includes a bottom having a lower surface 11c and a reinforcing portion (rib structure) provided at the bottom and composed of a plurality of ribs 11d reinforcing the bottom. The lower surface 11c of the conveying chamber 11 is approximately parallel to the horizontal direction and is the surface facing the direction of gravity. In addition to the plurality of ribs 11d, the lower surface 11c also has a mounting portion 11e for mounting the base 53 of the conveying unit 51 and a plurality of pillars 11f supporting and fixing the lower surface 11c from below. In this embodiment, the reinforcing portion is provided on the lower surface 11c, but it is not limited to this structure; for example, the reinforcing portion may also be provided on the upper surface of the bottom (the surface facing the side opposite to the lower surface 11c). Furthermore, in this embodiment, four pillars 11f with a square cross-section are connected to the lower surface 11c, but it is not limited to this structure. It should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, the reinforcing portion is referred to as... Figure 10 (b) The illustration of the central column 11f is omitted.

[0103] Within the bottom, in the second direction D2, relative to the first centerline 11a, the region on one end where the mounting portion 11e (base 53) is located is designated as the first region Rg1, and the region on the opposite end is designated as the second region Rg2. In this case, the reinforcement is configured such that the deformation of the bottom is asymmetrical with respect to the first centerline 11a. More specifically, the reinforcement is configured such that the rigidity of the second region Rg2 at the bottom is higher than that of the first region Rg1.

[0104] The reinforcing section consists of a total of five ribs 11d. Specifically, it includes two ribs 11d extending from the first region Rg1 to the second region Rg2 in the second direction D2, a rib 11d extending between these ribs in the first region Rg1 in the first direction D1, a rib 11d extending between the two ribs 11d on the first center line 11a, and a rib 11d extending from these ribs 11d towards the second region Rg2 on the second center line 11b. The reinforcing section 11e is surrounded by four ribs 11d.

[0105] Figure 11 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the reinforcing effect of the reinforcing part. They are diagrams of the transport chamber 11 when viewed from a cross section that is orthogonal to the first direction D1 and passes through the second center line 11b. Figure 11 (a) is a diagram showing the deformation of the transport chamber 11 without reinforcement. Figure 11 (b) indicates the deformation of the transport chamber 11, which is provided with the reinforcement in this embodiment.

[0106] As described above, the delivery chamber 11 is configured to depressurize its interior. When depressurization is performed during the process of creating a vacuum inside the delivery chamber 11, the shape of the delivery chamber 11, including its bottom, deforms. In the case of a structure without reinforcement, such as Figure 11 As shown in (a), the bottom is deformed approximately symmetrically to the left and right with respect to the center line of the second direction D2. Therefore, when the base 53 (first rotation axis 54a) is positioned near the end of the second direction D2, the conveying unit 51 may sometimes tilt due to the deformation of the bottom. The tilting of the conveying unit 51 not only prevents the substrate S from being conveyed according to the target, but may also cause interference between the conveying unit 51 and the substrate S.

[0107] Therefore, in this embodiment, a reinforcing portion is provided in an asymmetrical manner along the second direction D2 to accommodate the deformation of the bottom. In this embodiment, a rib 11d extending along the second centerline 11b is provided only in the second region Rg2. Regarding the rigidity of the bending of the bottom section orthogonal to the first direction D1, the rigidity of the second region Rg2 is higher than that of the first region Rg1. With this structure, the tilting of the conveying unit 51 associated with the deformation of the bottom during decompression can be suppressed. Therefore, the reduction in the conveying accuracy of the conveying unit 51 and the interference between the conveying unit 51 and the substrate S can be suppressed.

[0108] (Manufacturing methods for electronic devices)

[0109] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an electronic device using the film-forming apparatus of this embodiment will be described. Hereinafter, as an example of an electronic device, the structure of an organic EL display device will be shown, and a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device will be illustrated.

[0110] First, let me explain the manufactured organic EL display device. Figure 12 (a) is an overall view of the organic EL display device 700. Figure 12 (b) represents the cross-sectional structure of a pixel.

[0111] like Figure 12 As shown in (a), a plurality of pixels 702, each equipped with a plurality of light-emitting elements, are arranged in a matrix in the display area 701 of the organic EL display device 700. Each light-emitting element has a structure having an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, details of which will be described later. It should be noted that a pixel, as referred to here, is the smallest unit in the display area 701 capable of displaying a desired color. In the case of the organic EL display device of this embodiment, the pixel 702 is constructed by a combination of a first light-emitting element 702R, a second light-emitting element 702G, and a third light-emitting element 702B, which emit different colors from each other. The pixel 702 is mostly composed of a combination of red, green, and blue light-emitting elements, but it can also be a combination of yellow, cyan, and white light-emitting elements, as long as there is at least one color, there is no particular limitation.

[0112] Figure 12 (b) is Figure 12(a) is a partial cross-sectional view at line AA. Pixel 702 is composed of multiple light-emitting elements, each of which has a first electrode (anode) 704, a hole transport layer 705, any one of light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, and 706B, an electron transport layer 707, and a second electrode (cathode) 708 on substrate 703. The hole transport layer 705, light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, 706B, and electron transport layer 707 are equivalent to organic layers. Furthermore, in this embodiment, light-emitting layer 706R is an organic EL layer emitting red light, light-emitting layer 706G is an organic EL layer emitting green light, and light-emitting layer 706B is an organic EL layer emitting blue light. Light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, and 706B are respectively formed into patterns corresponding to the light-emitting elements (sometimes referred to as organic EL elements) emitting red, green, and blue light.

[0113] Furthermore, the first electrode 704 is formed separately for each light-emitting element. The hole transport layer 705, the electron transport layer 707, and the second electrode 708 can be formed together by multiple light-emitting elements 702R, 702G, and 702B, or they can be formed separately for each light-emitting element. It should be noted that an insulating layer 709 is provided between the first electrode 704 and the second electrode 708 to prevent short circuits due to foreign matter. In addition, since the organic EL layer is susceptible to deterioration due to moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 710 is provided to protect the organic EL element from the effects of moisture and oxygen.

[0114] exist Figure 12 In (b), the hole transport layer 705 and the electron transport layer 707 are shown as a single layer, but depending on the structure of the organic EL display element, they can also be formed by multiple layers having a hole blocking layer and an electron blocking layer. Alternatively, a hole injection layer with a band structure capable of smoothly injecting holes from the first electrode 704 to the hole transport layer 705 can be formed between the first electrode 704 and the hole transport layer 705. Similarly, an electron injection layer can be formed between the second electrode 708 and the electron transport layer 707.

[0115] Next, a specific example of a manufacturing method for an organic EL display device will be explained.

[0116] First, a substrate (mother glass) 703 is prepared, which has a circuit (not shown) for driving an organic EL display device and a first electrode 704.

[0117] Acrylic resin is formed on a substrate 703 on which the first electrode 704 is formed by spin coating. An insulating layer 709 is formed by patterning the acrylic resin using photolithography to create an opening in the portion where the first electrode 704 is formed. This opening corresponds to the light-emitting area where the light-emitting element actually emits light.

[0118] A substrate 703 with an insulating layer 709 is placed on a substrate carrier equipped with adhesive members. The substrate 703 is held in place by the adhesive members. The substrate is fed into a first organic material film-forming apparatus, and after being flipped, a hole transport layer 705 is formed as a common layer on the first electrode 704 of the display area. The hole transport layer 705 is formed by vacuum evaporation. Since the hole transport layer 705 is actually formed to a size larger than the display area 701, a high-precision mask is not required.

[0119] Next, the substrate 703 to which the hole transport layer 705 is formed is fed into the second organic material film forming apparatus. The substrate and the mask are aligned, the substrate is placed on the mask, and a red light emitting layer 706R is formed on the portion of the substrate 703 where the red light emitting element is arranged.

[0120] Similar to the deposition of the light-emitting layer 706R, a green light-emitting layer 706G is deposited using a third organic material film-forming apparatus, and a blue light-emitting layer 706B is deposited using a fourth organic material film-forming apparatus. After the deposition of the light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, and 706B is completed, an electron transport layer 707 is deposited integrally in the display area 701 using a fifth film-forming apparatus. The electron transport layer 707 is formed as a shared layer on the three color light-emitting layers 706R, 706G, and 706B.

[0121] The substrate forming the electron transport layer 707 is moved in a metallic vapor deposition material film forming apparatus to form a second electrode 708.

[0122] Next, the film is moved to a plasma CVD apparatus to form a protective film 710, completing the film formation process on the substrate 703. After flipping, the substrate 703 is separated from the substrate carrier by peeling off the adhesive components. After cutting, the organic EL display device 700 is completed.

[0123] From the moment the substrate 703 with the insulating layer 709 is fed into the film-forming apparatus until the film formation of the protective layer 710 is completed, if exposed to an atmosphere containing moisture and oxygen, the light-emitting layer made of organic EL material may deteriorate due to moisture and oxygen. Therefore, in this embodiment, the feeding and unloading of the substrate between the film-forming apparatuses is performed under a vacuum atmosphere or an inactive gas atmosphere.

Claims

1. A substrate conveying device, comprising: A conveying unit is disposed inside a conveying chamber connected to multiple connecting chambers. The conveying chamber is used to convey a substrate to the multiple connecting chambers, and the conveying unit conveys the substrate between the conveying chamber and the connecting chambers. The control unit controls the operation of the conveying unit. Its features are, The conveying unit has: The base is disposed in the delivery chamber; A first connecting portion is connected to the base in a manner that allows it to rotate about a first rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction, and has a first end connected to the base and a second end on the opposite side of the first end. A second connecting portion, the second connecting portion being rotatable about a second rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction, is connected to the second end of the first connecting portion; and The support portion is rotatably connected to the second connecting portion and supports the substrate. When one side of the centerline of the transport chamber relative to a first direction when viewed along the rotation axis is designated as the first side and the other side as the second side, in the transport chamber configured to be connected to a plurality of connecting chambers on the first side and the second side respectively... When a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to the first side, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit to fix the position of the second rotation axis on the first side. When a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to the second side, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit so that the position of the second rotation axis is fixed on the second side.

2. The substrate conveying device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The second connecting portion has a third end portion connected to the first connecting portion and a fourth end portion on the side opposite to the third end portion. The conveying unit includes a third connecting portion having a fifth end and a sixth end. The fifth end is connected to the fourth end of the second connecting portion in a manner rotatable about a third rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction. The sixth end is connected to the support portion in a manner rotatable about a fourth rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction. When a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and the connecting chamber, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit so that the line segment connecting the second rotation axis and the fourth rotation axis moves along the direction of movement of the support.

3. The substrate conveying device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and a plurality of connecting chambers connected to the first side, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit to position the second rotation axis at a first position, which is a predetermined position for each of the plurality of connecting chambers connected to the first side. When a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and the connecting chamber connected to the second side, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit to position the second rotation axis at a second position, which is a predetermined position for the second side, and the second position is a position set for each of the plurality of connecting chambers connected to the second side.

4. The substrate conveying device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, When viewed along the rotation axis, the first position and the second position are located on the center line of the delivery chamber in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

5. The substrate conveying device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, When viewed along the rotation axis, the conveying unit is positioned in the conveying chamber such that the first rotation axis is located at a position offset to one end from the centerline of the second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the conveying chamber.

6. The substrate conveying device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The delivery chamber has a bottom where the base is disposed and a reinforcing portion disposed at the bottom. In the second direction, when the region on one end of the bottom is designated as the first region and the region on the opposite end is designated as the second region, the reinforcing part is configured such that the rigidity of the second region of the bottom is higher than the rigidity of the first region of the bottom.

7. The substrate conveying device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The delivery chamber is configured such that a connecting chamber connected to the first side and a connecting chamber connected to the second side are arranged in the first direction.

8. A substrate conveying device, characterized in that, The substrate conveying device includes: A transport chamber configured to be connected to a plurality of connecting chambers for transporting a substrate into the plurality of connecting chambers; A conveying unit is disposed inside the conveying chamber and conveys a substrate between the conveying chamber and the connecting chamber. The conveying unit has a base, a first connecting portion, a second connecting portion, a third connecting portion, and a support portion. The base is disposed in the conveying chamber. The first connecting portion is connected to the base in a manner rotatable about a first rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction. The second connecting portion is connected to the first connecting portion in a manner rotatable about a second rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction. The third connecting portion is connected to the second connecting portion in a manner rotatable about the second rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction. The support portion is connected to the third connecting portion in a manner rotatable about a fourth rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction and supports the substrate. The control unit controls the operation of the conveying unit. When a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and the connecting chamber, the control unit controls the operation of the transport unit so that, with the position of the first connecting part fixed, the support part is moved by the rotational movement of the second connecting part about the second rotation axis and the rotational movement of the third connecting part about the third rotation axis.

9. A grouping device, characterized in that, The group device includes: The substrate conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 8; Delivery chamber; and Multiple connecting chambers, wherein the multiple connecting chambers are connected to the delivery chamber, The plurality of connecting chambers includes a film-forming chamber having a film-forming unit inside, capable of performing film-forming operations on a substrate.

10. An apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device, characterized in that, The manufacturing apparatus includes a plurality of the group devices as described in claim 9. The manufacturing apparatus further includes a relay device that, when one of the plurality of substrate conveying devices is designated as a first substrate conveying device and a substrate conveying device from which substrates are being conveyed is designated as a second substrate conveying device, the relay device conveys substrates from the first substrate conveying device to the second substrate conveying device. The first substrate conveying device and the second substrate conveying device are arranged such that the length direction of the conveying chamber of the first substrate conveying device and the length direction of the conveying chamber of the second substrate conveying device intersect each other.

11. A substrate transport method for transporting a substrate between a transport chamber and a chamber connected to the transport chamber by means of a transport unit disposed inside the transport chamber, characterized in that, The conveying unit has a base, a first connecting portion, a second connecting portion, and a support portion. The base is disposed in the conveying chamber. The first connecting portion is connected to the base in a manner rotatable about a first rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction. The second connecting portion is connected to the first connecting portion in a manner rotatable about a second rotation axis extending along the rotation axis direction. The support portion is rotatably connected to the second connecting portion and supports the substrate. When one side is designated as the first side and the other side as the second side, relative to the centerline of the delivery chamber in a first direction when viewed along the rotation axis,... When a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and the connecting chamber connected to the first side, the transport unit operates with the position of the second rotation axis fixed on the first side, and when a substrate is transported between the transport chamber and the connecting chamber connected to the second side, the transport unit operates with the position of the second rotation axis fixed on the second side.

12. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, characterized in that, The manufacturing method includes a film-forming step, in which a substrate is transported from the transport chamber to the connecting chamber by the substrate transport method of claim 11, and a film-forming action is performed on the substrate. The connecting chamber is a film-forming chamber in which a film-forming unit capable of performing a film-forming action on the substrate is provided inside.

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