Support structure for disk shaped substrate

Abstract

To provide a support structure for a disc shaped substrate that can support a disc shaped substrate by a simple configuration and can suppress damage to the disc shaped substrate.SOLUTION: A support structure 1 of a disc shaped substrate D has a support portion 20 having a support surface disposed around a center line C1 extending along the vertical direction and inclined downward toward the center line C1, which contacts the circumferential portion D1 of the disc shaped substrate D from below and supports the weight of the disc shaped substrate D.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a support structure for a disk-shaped substrate. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in the manufacturing process of semiconductor wafers (disk-shaped substrates), a mechanism for supporting the wafer is required for transporting the wafer. One example of a mechanism for supporting the wafer is a mechanism for holding the peripheral portion of the wafer, which is the portion that is not the subject of device manufacturing, that is, the edge portion.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an aligner device having a fixed stage on which a wafer is placed, a plurality of gripping parts for gripping the edge of the wafer, and a gripping mechanism for moving each gripping part toward the center of the wafer. In the aligner device according to Patent Document 1, the gripping mechanism moves each gripping part toward the center of the wafer so that each gripping part engages with the edge of the wafer placed on the fixed stage. This holds the wafer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-243294 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The technique described in Patent Document 1 requires a gripping mechanism that moves each gripping part closer to the center of the wafer, which makes the aligner device more complicated in configuration.

[0006] In addition, in the above-mentioned technique, each gripper applies force to the edge of the wafer to hold the wafer, which may result in excessive force being applied to the edge of the wafer, which may damage the edge.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a support structure for a disk-shaped substrate that is capable of supporting a disk-shaped substrate with a simple configuration and can prevent damage to the disk-shaped substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] What is provided by the present invention is a support structure for supporting a disk-shaped substrate, the support structure comprising a support portion having a support surface arranged around a center line extending in an up-down direction and inclined downwardly toward the center line, the support surface abutting the circumferential portion of the disk-shaped substrate from below to support the weight of the disk-shaped substrate.

[0009] According to this configuration, since the circumferential portion of the disk-shaped substrate is supported from below by the support surface of the support portion, the disk-shaped substrate can be supported without requiring a complicated mechanism. Also, since the support surface supports the disk-shaped substrate's own weight, the disk-shaped substrate is supported, and therefore a force greater than the own weight is prevented from acting on the disk-shaped substrate. In other words, the application of an excessive force to the disk-shaped substrate is prevented. Therefore, the disk-shaped substrate can be supported by a simple configuration, and damage to the disk-shaped substrate can be prevented.

[0010] Furthermore, in this configuration, since the support surface is inclined, the disk-shaped substrate is supported with its central position aligned with the center line of the support portion, thereby preventing the disk-shaped substrate from moving horizontally on the support portion.

[0011] In addition, even if the circumferential portion of the disk-shaped substrate is chamfered and the supported surface of the circumferential portion that is supported by the supporting surface is inclined, the supporting surface and the supported surface can be in surface contact with each other because the supporting surface is inclined, so that the supporting surface can stably support the supported surface.

[0012] In the above configuration, the support surface may include an anti-slip portion that prevents the disk-shaped substrate from slipping.

[0013] According to this configuration, the circumferential portion of the disk-shaped substrate is prevented from slipping relative to the support surface, so that the disk-shaped substrate can be supported in a stable position.

[0014] In the above configuration, the anti-slip portion may have an uneven shape formed on the support surface when viewed in a cross section including the center line.

[0015] According to this configuration, the uneven surface shape improves the surface roughness of the non-slip portion, which increases the static friction coefficient between the support surface and the circumferential portion compared to when the non-slip portion does not have an uneven surface, thereby further preventing the circumferential portion from slipping against the support surface.

[0016] In the above configuration, an inclination angle of the support surface with respect to a radial direction of a circle centered on the center line may be equal to or greater than 15° and equal to or less than 30°.

[0017] Generally, when the edge of a disk-shaped substrate has an inclined surface due to chamfering or the like, the external angle between the functional surface used in device manufacturing and the inclined surface is often set within a range of 15° to 30°. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the inclined surface is used as the supported surface and is supported by the supporting surface, so that the contact area between the supporting surface and the supported surface can be increased. As a result, the supported surface can be stably supported by the supporting surface.

[0018] In the above configuration, the circumferential portion of the disc-shaped substrate has a supported surface that is inclined downwardly toward the center of the disc-shaped substrate and can be supported by the supporting surface, and the supporting surface may be inclined so as to extend parallel to the supported surface.

[0019] According to this configuration, since the inclination angles of the supporting surface and the supported surface are the same, it is possible to increase the contact area between the supporting surface and the supported surface, which makes it possible for the supporting surface to stably support the supported surface.

[0020] In the above configuration, the support portion may have a plurality of support members arranged at intervals around the center line, and each of the plurality of support members may include an upper surface that constitutes the support surface.

[0021] According to this configuration, since a space is formed between each of the support members, it is possible to utilize this space to place devices such as sensors, thus improving the degree of freedom in designing the support structure for the disk-shaped substrate.

[0022] In the above configuration, the plurality of support members may include at least three support members.

[0023] According to this configuration, the disk-shaped substrate can be supported in a more balanced manner than when the disk-shaped substrate is supported at two points, and thus the disk-shaped substrate can be prevented from falling off the support member when the disk-shaped substrate loses its position.

[0024] In the aforementioned configuration, the plurality of support members may be disposed at equal intervals around the center line.

[0025] According to this configuration, the circumferential portion is supported by a plurality of support members that are arranged at equal intervals from one another, so that the disk-shaped substrate can be supported in a well-balanced manner.

[0026] In the above configuration, in a state in which the disk-shaped substrate is supported by the support portion, a portion of the support portion other than the support surface may be disposed spaced apart from the disk-shaped substrate.

[0027] According to this configuration, the portion of the disk-shaped substrate other than the circumferential portion is prevented from being supported by the support portion. Specifically, the functional surface of the disk-shaped substrate used in device manufacturing is prevented from being supported. This makes it possible to suppress adhesion of foreign matter to the functional surface. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a disk-shaped substrate according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 2 is a top view of the periphery of a support portion of a support structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a top view of a main body portion of a support structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main body portion of a support structure according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of region VI in FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] A support structure 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the support structure 1. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of a disk-shaped substrate D. In the following, the Z direction in each drawing is referred to as the up-down direction, and in particular, the +Z direction is referred to as the up direction and the -Z direction is referred to as the down direction.

[0030] The support structure 1 according to this embodiment supports a disk-shaped substrate D that is transported in a predetermined direction (here, the X direction).

[0031] With reference to FIG. 2, the disk-shaped substrate D according to this embodiment will be described. The disk-shaped substrate D is, for example, a wafer made of silicon, which is a raw material for semiconductor chips. The disk-shaped substrate D has an upper inclined surface facing upward and a lower inclined surface D11 (an example of a supported surface) facing downward on its circumferential portion D1. The upper inclined surface is a plane inclined upward toward the center O of the disk-shaped substrate D. The lower inclined surface D11 is a plane inclined downward toward the center O of the disk-shaped substrate D. In this embodiment, the lower inclined surface inclination angle θ1 of the disk-shaped substrate D is set to 22.5°. The lower inclined surface inclination angle θ1 is an exterior angle formed by the lower inclined surface D11 and a functional surface D12 used in device manufacturing and intersecting with the lower inclined surface D11. The upper inclined surface and the lower inclined surface D11 are formed by performing chamfering on the circumferential portion D1.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, the support structure 1 has a table unit 10, a support part 20 that is removably fixed to the table unit 10 and supports a disk-shaped substrate D, and a transport mechanism 40 that transports the table unit 10 in the X direction.

[0033] The table unit 10 raises, lowers, and rotates the disk-shaped substrate D supported by a support portion 20. The table unit 10 has a table main body 11, a weight portion 12, a table support portion 13, a drive portion 14, and a casing 15.

[0034] Fig. 3 is a top view of the periphery of the support part 20 of the support structure 1. The table body 11 has a circular plate shape and is a rotary table that can rotate around a center line C1. The table body 11 has an upper surface portion facing upward, and the support part 20 and the weight part 12 are detachably fixed to the upper surface portion. Note that the weight part 12 is not shown on the left side of the paper surface of Fig. 3.

[0035] The weight section 12 is disposed on the upper surface of the table body 11 and adjusts the rotation balance of the table body 11. The weight section 12 is made of a circular flat plate and is fixed to the table body 11 via a plurality of weight fasteners 31. The plurality of weight fasteners 31 are formed of, for example, dowel pins or bolts. As shown in FIG. 3, the weight section 12 is provided with a plurality of cutout portions 12A cut out along the radial direction of the table body 11.

[0036] Returning to FIG. 1, the table support part 13 supports the table body 11 in a state in which it can rotate and move up and down. Specifically, the table support part 13 has an upper end and a lower end. The upper end is connected to the lower surface part of the table body 11 facing downward. The lower end is connected to the drive part 14 and is driven by the drive part 14. The table support part 13 passes through the ceiling part of the casing 15 and extends in the vertical direction between the table body 11 and the drive part 14.

[0037] The driving unit 14 is disposed inside the casing 15, and generates a driving force for raising and lowering the table main body 11 and a driving force for rotating the table main body 11. For example, the driving unit 14 includes a servo motor (not shown) and an air pressure cylinder (not shown).

[0038] The support part 20 is disposed on the upper surface of the table main body 11 around a center line C1 extending in the up-down direction, and horizontally supports the disk-shaped substrate D. As shown in Fig. 3, the support part 20 according to this embodiment has three support members 200. In other embodiments, the support part 20 may have two support members 200, or four or more support members 200.

[0039] The three support members 200 are arranged at equal intervals around the center line C1 so that the center line C1 of the support part 20 and the center O of the disk-shaped substrate D are concentric, and support the disk-shaped substrate D. Specifically, the three support members 200 are arranged so that the distance between the center O and each of the support members 200 is equal in the radial direction of a circle (virtual circle) centered on the center line C1. This configuration makes it possible to make each of the support members 200 support the disk-shaped substrate D horizontally. It is preferable to use a material for each of the support members 200 that does not damage the disk-shaped substrate D and does not contaminate the disk-shaped substrate D. For example, it is preferable to use a resin material such as polyether ether ketone or polyacetal.

[0040] Next, the detailed configuration of the three support members 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 6. FIG. 4 is a top view of the main body 220 of the support member 200. In particular, FIG. 4 is a top view of the main body 220 of the support member 200 shown in the upper center of the three support members 200 shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main body 220. In particular, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main body 220 shown in the upper center of FIG. 3, seen in a cross section including the center line C1. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an enlarged area VI shown in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the three support members 200 have the same configuration. Therefore, hereinafter, the configuration of one support member 200 will be described, and the description of the remaining support members 200 will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 3, the support member 200 has a connection portion 210 and a main body portion 220 detachably fixed to the connection portion 210.

[0041] The connection portion 210 is detachably fixed to the table body 11, and supports the body portion 220. Specifically, the connection portion 210 has a connection base portion 211 and an extension portion 212.

[0042] The connection base 211 is disposed in an area surrounded by the cutout portion 12A on the table body 11. The connection base 211 is fixed to the table body 11 by a plurality of connection base fasteners 32. That is, the connection base 211 is directly fixed to the table body 11 without the weight portion 12. This configuration makes it easy to remove the connection base 211 or the weight portion 12 from the table body 11. That is, it is easy to remove the weight portion 12 when the connection base 211 is fixed to the table body 11, and to remove the connection base 211 when the weight portion 12 is fixed to the table body 11. The plurality of connection base fasteners 32 are formed, for example, by bolts having a head and a shaft portion (not shown). As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of connection base fasteners 32 are arranged so as to be aligned along the radial direction.

[0043] The extension portion 212 extends radially outward from the connection base 211 to support the main body 220. Specifically, the extension portion 212 extends from the connection base 211 such that its radially outer end portion is positioned radially outward from the outer edge of the table main body 11.

[0044] The main body portion 220 is detachably fixed to the extension portion 212, and supports the disk-shaped substrate D. As shown in FIGS.

[0045] The base 221 is fixed to the outer end of the extension 212 in the radial direction. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the base 221 is a base having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a plurality of base fixing holes H. Each base fixing hole H can communicate with a fixing hole (not shown) formed in the upper part of the extension 212. Each base fixing hole H has a counterbore shape and allows a base fastener 33 (Fig. 3) to be inserted in the vertical direction. The base fastener 33 is, for example, a bolt having a head and a shaft. As shown in Fig. 3, each of the base fasteners 33 is arranged to be aligned along the radial direction. Each of the base fasteners 33 passes through the base fixing hole H in the vertical direction and is screwed into the fixing hole to fasten the base 221 and the extension 212.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the support 222 is a substantially triangular prism-shaped structure connected to the pedestal 221, and has an upper surface 222a. Specifically, a plane facing the radially inward direction of the support 222 constitutes the upper surface 222a. The upper surface 222a constitutes a support surface that is disposed around the center line C1 and abuts against the lower inclined surface D11 of the disk-shaped substrate D from below to support the weight of the disk-shaped substrate D. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper surface 222a is inclined downward toward the center line C1. In this embodiment, the upper surface inclination angle θ2 (see FIG. 5) of the upper surface 222a with respect to the radial direction (horizontal plane) is set to be 15° or more and 30° or less. More specifically, the upper surface inclination angle θ2 is set to be 22.5°. That is, the upper surface 222a is inclined so as to extend parallel to the lower inclined surface D11 of the disk-shaped substrate D. 1 and 5, in a state in which the disk-shaped substrate D is supported by the support portion 20, the portions of the support portion 20 other than the upper surface 222a are disposed apart from the disk-shaped substrate D. In this embodiment, the support members 200 are disposed so that the lengths of imaginary lines extending radially from the center line C1 toward the upper surface 222a of each support member 200 are the same.

[0047] The upper surface 222a includes an anti-slip portion K that prevents the disk-shaped substrate D from slipping. Specifically, the anti-slip portion K according to this embodiment has an uneven shape consisting of steps as shown in FIG. 6. The anti-slip portion K has a function of increasing the static friction coefficient between the upper surface 222a and the lower inclined surface D11. The end of the disk-shaped substrate D may be caught in the uneven shape to prevent slipping. The anti-slip portion K may be formed by subjecting the upper surface 222a to a process such as embossing or graining, or may be formed by subjecting the upper surface 222a to a so-called hairline process in which a large number of thin linear grooves are formed.

[0048] 1, the transport mechanism 40 has a function of transporting the disk-shaped substrate D supported by the support portion 20 in a predetermined direction (here, the X direction). The transport mechanism 40 according to this embodiment has a roller portion 41 and a cylinder portion .

[0049] The roller portion 41 is disposed below the table unit 10 and supports the table unit 10 in a state in which it is possible to guide the movement of the table unit 10 in the X direction.

[0050] The cylinder portion 42 includes an air cylinder that expands and contracts in the X direction in response to the supply of air ejected from an air pump (not shown), and presses the casing 15, thereby moving the table unit 10 (casing 15) in the expansion / contraction direction.

[0051] As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the circumferential portion D1 of the disk-shaped substrate D is supported from below by the upper surface 222a constituting the support surface of the support portion 20. Therefore, compared to the case of using a device that grips the disk-shaped substrate D by, for example, a plurality of gripping portions that are engaged with the circumferential portion D1 of the disk-shaped substrate D and a gripping mechanism that moves each gripping portion toward the center O of the disk-shaped substrate D, the disk-shaped substrate D can be supported by a simple configuration. That is, the disk-shaped substrate D can be supported without requiring a complex mechanism. In addition, since the disk-shaped substrate D is supported by the upper surface 222a supporting the disk-shaped substrate D's own weight, a force larger than the own weight is suppressed from acting on the disk-shaped substrate D. That is, an excessive force is suppressed from acting on the disk-shaped substrate D. Therefore, the disk-shaped substrate D can be supported by a simple configuration, and damage to the disk-shaped substrate D can be suppressed.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the upper surface 222a of the support member 200 is inclined, the disk-shaped substrate D is supported with the position of the center O of the disk-shaped substrate D aligned with the center line C1 of the support portion 20, and the disk-shaped substrate D can be prevented from moving horizontally on the support portion 20.

[0053] In addition, even if the disk-shaped substrate D is chamfered and the supported surface (lower inclined surface D11) of the circumferential portion D1 supported by the upper surface 222a is inclined, in this embodiment, since the upper surface 222a is inclined, the upper surface 222a and the supported surface can be in surface contact with each other. This allows the upper surface 222a to stably support the supported surface.

[0054] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the space above the disk-shaped substrate D is opened compared to a case where a mechanism for holding the disk-shaped substrate D is provided above the disk-shaped substrate D. This makes it easier to inspect the quality of the disk-shaped substrate D by, for example, imaging the disk-shaped substrate D from above.

[0055] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, even if the shape of the disk-shaped substrate D is somewhat deformed, the disk-shaped substrate D can be stably supported. For example, assume that the disk-shaped substrate D is not flat but warped, specifically, that the circumferential portion D1 of the disk-shaped substrate D has a partially corrugated shape. Here, in the device that grips the disk-shaped substrate D using the multiple gripping portions and the gripping mechanism, if the gripping portions are engaged with the corrugated portion, the force cannot be transmitted evenly to the circumferential portion D1, and there is a possibility that the disk-shaped substrate D will not be gripped. In contrast, the support structure 1 according to this embodiment supports the weight of the disk-shaped substrate D from below, and therefore can stably support the disk-shaped substrate D regardless of the shape of the disk-shaped substrate D.

[0056] In this embodiment, the upper surface 222a includes the anti-slip portion K, which prevents the circumferential portion D1 of the disk-shaped substrate D from slipping on the upper surface 222a. As a result, the disk-shaped substrate D can be supported with its posture stabilized.

[0057] In addition, in this embodiment, the uneven shape improves the surface roughness of the non-slip portion K. As a result, the static friction coefficient between the upper surface 222a and the circumferential portion D1 increases compared to when the non-slip portion K does not have an uneven shape, and therefore, slippage of the circumferential portion D1 against the upper surface 222a is further suppressed.

[0058] In addition, in general, when the edge portion of the disk-shaped substrate D has an inclined surface (lower inclined surface D11) by chamfering or the like, the lower inclined surface inclination angle θ1, which is the external angle between the functional surface D12 used in device manufacturing and the lower inclined surface D11, is often set within the range of 15° to 30°. In contrast, in this embodiment, the upper surface inclination angle θ2 of the upper surface 222a is set to 15° or more and 30° or less, so that the above-mentioned lower inclined surface D11 is used as a supported surface and is supported by each upper surface 222a, thereby making it possible to increase the contact area between the upper surface 222a and the lower inclined surface D11. As a result, it becomes possible to stably support the lower inclined surface D11 by the upper surface 222a.

[0059] In addition, if the lower inclined surface inclination angle θ1 is set to be smaller than 15°, the angle is shallow, so it is difficult to sufficiently restrain the disk-shaped substrate D in the horizontal direction. In this case, the position of the center O of the disk-shaped substrate D is easily shifted due to the impact generated when the disk-shaped substrate D is transported. Also, if the lower inclined surface inclination angle θ1 is set to be larger than 30°, the disk-shaped substrate D may be tightly fitted into the support part 20, making it difficult to remove the disk-shaped substrate D from the support part 20. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the disk-shaped substrate D can be suitably removed from the support part 20 while aligning the position of the center O of the disk-shaped substrate D with the center line C1 of the support part 20.

[0060] In addition, in this embodiment, the inclination angles of the upper surface 222a of the main body 220 and the lower inclined surface D11 of the disk-shaped substrate D match, so that the contact area between the upper surface 222a and the lower inclined surface D11 can be increased. This makes it possible for the upper surface 222a to stably support the lower inclined surface D11.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the table body 11 and the support portion 20 are configured to be detachable. Specifically, the table body 11 and the connection portion 210 (connection base portion 211) of each support member 200 are fastened by the connection base fastener 32. With this configuration, the support member 200 can be replaced according to the size (diameter) of the disk-shaped substrate D. That is, when supporting a disk-shaped substrate D having a relatively small diameter, a support member having a relatively short length in the radial direction may be fixed to the table body 11, and when supporting a disk-shaped substrate D having a relatively large diameter, a support member having a relatively long length in the radial direction may be fixed to the table body 11. In this way, in this embodiment, the versatility of the support structure 1 is improved by making the support member 200 replaceable. Note that, as a support member having a relatively short length in the radial direction, for example, a support member having a relatively short radial distance from the base fixing hole H located on the radial outer side to the upper surface 222a can be used. Furthermore, as a support member having a relatively long length in the radial direction, for example, a support member having a relatively long radial distance from base fixing hole H located on the radially outer side to upper surface 222a can be used.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connection part 210 and the main body part 220 are configured to be detachable. Specifically, in this embodiment, the extension part 212 of the connection part 210 and the base part 221 of the main body part 220 are fastened by the base part fastener 33. According to this configuration, the main body part 220 can be replaced so that the upper surface inclination angle θ2 of the upper surface 222a is adjusted according to the lower side inclination angle θ1 of the lower side inclination surface D11. For example, assume that the type of the disk-shaped substrate D transported by the support structure 1 is changed and the lower side inclination angle θ1 of the lower side inclination surface D11 is changed to 30°. In this case, the worker may remove the main body part 220 attached to the connection part 210 and fix a new main body part that can suitably support the disk-shaped substrate D after the type change to the connection part 210. That is, the worker may re-fix a new main body part having an upper surface with an upper surface inclination angle θ2 set to 30° or an angle close to this to the connection part 210. This increases the contact area between the lower inclined surface D11 and the upper surface, making it possible to support the disk-shaped substrate D in an even more stable manner.

[0063] In addition, in this embodiment, since a space is formed between each of the support members 200, it is possible to use this space to place devices such as a sensor. In other words, the degree of freedom in designing the support structure 1 is improved.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since a space is formed between each of the support members 200, even if the disk-shaped substrate D does not have a flat shape, the disk-shaped substrate D can be stably supported. For example, even if the disk-shaped substrate D partially has a bending portion having a bending shape, the support portion 20 can stably support the disk-shaped substrate D with the bending portion released into the space.

[0065] In addition, in this embodiment, since the support unit 20 has three support members 200, the disk-shaped substrate D can be supported in a more balanced manner than when the disk-shaped substrate D is supported at two points. This makes it possible to prevent the disk-shaped substrate D from falling off the support members 200 when the attitude of the disk-shaped substrate D becomes distorted.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the circumferential portion D1 is supported by the three support members 200 that are disposed at equal intervals from one another, so that the disk-shaped substrate D can be supported in a well-balanced manner.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the disk-shaped substrate D is supported by the support portion 20, the portions of the support portion 20 other than the upper surface 222a are disposed at a distance from the disk-shaped substrate D. As a result, the portions of the disk-shaped substrate D other than the circumferential portion D1 are prevented from being supported by the support portion 20. Specifically, the functional surface D12 is prevented from being supported. This prevents foreign matter and the like from adhering to the functional surface D12.

[0068] The support structure 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The present invention allows for the following modified embodiments.

[0069] (1) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the support section 20 has three support members 200. However, the number of support members 200 can be changed as appropriate.

[0070] For example, the support unit 20 may have a single support member having a mortar shape with the diameter at the upper part set to be approximately the same as the diameter of the disk-shaped substrate D. Alternatively, the support unit 20 may have a pair of support members facing each other in the radial direction and each of which has an approximately U-shape. In other words, the support unit 20 may have two support members.

[0071] (2) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the upper surface 222a had a flat shape. However, the shape of the upper surface 222a is not limited to this, and the upper surface 222a may have a curved shape that bulges upward or downward. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1: Support structure (support structure for disk-shaped substrate) 10: Table unit 11: Table body 12: Weight section 12A: Notch 13: Table support 14: Drive unit 15: Casing 20: Support part 31: Weight fastener 32: Connection base fastener 33: Base fastener 40: Transport mechanism 41: Roller section 42: Cylinder section 200: Support member 210: Connection 211: Connection base 212: Extension part 220: Main body 221 :Daibu 222:Support 222a:Top surface C1: Center line D: Disk-shaped substrate D1: Circumference D11: Lower inclined surface (supported surface) H:Hole for fixing the base K: Anti-slip part O: Center θ1: Lower slope angle θ2: Upper surface inclination angle

Claims

1. A support structure for supporting a disk-shaped substrate, A support structure for a disc-shaped substrate comprising a support portion having a support surface arranged around a center line extending along an up-down direction and inclined downward toward the center line, the support surface abutting a circumferential portion of the disc-shaped substrate from below to support the weight of the disc-shaped substrate.

2. The support structure for a disk-shaped substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the support surface includes an anti-slip portion for preventing the disk-shaped substrate from slipping.

3. The support structure for a disk-shaped substrate according to claim 2 , wherein the anti-slip portion has an uneven shape formed on the support surface when viewed in a cross section including the center line.

4. 4. The support structure for a disk-shaped substrate according to claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of the support surface with respect to a radial direction of a circle centered on the center line is 15 degrees or more and 30 degrees or less.

5. the circumferential portion of the disk-shaped substrate has a supported surface that is inclined downward toward a center of the disk-shaped substrate and that can be supported by the supporting surface; 4. The support structure for a disk-shaped substrate according to claim 1, wherein the supporting surface is inclined so as to extend parallel to the supported surface.

6. The support portion includes a plurality of support members spaced apart about the center line, The support structure for a disk-shaped substrate according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of support members includes an upper surface that constitutes the support surface.

7. The support structure for a disk-shaped substrate according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of support members includes at least three support members.

8. The support structure for a disk-shaped substrate according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of support members are disposed at equal intervals around the center line.

9. A support structure for a disk-shaped substrate as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the disk-shaped substrate is supported by the support portion, a portion of the support portion other than the support surface is positioned at a distance from the disk-shaped substrate.

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