Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and substrate transport method in semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

To wirelessly supply power to power consuming equipment provided in a substrate transport module in an apparatus for transporting a substrate, the apparatus including the substrate transport module for transporting the substrate using magnetic levitation.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM: The apparatus for transporting a substrate is provided with a tile portion that constitutes a moving surface of an area where a substrate is transported and has a plurality of first coils for forming a magnetic field on the moving surface by supplying power from a power supply unit, and a substrate transport module that includes a plurality of magnets exercising a repulsive force against the magnetic field, is configured to be movable on the moving surface by magnetic levitation using the repulsive force, and has a substrate holding portion for holding the substrate to be transported. The substrate transport module is configured to include a second coil for power supply to wirelessly supply power to power consuming equipment provided in the substrate transport module while moving on the moving surface by using electromotive force acting between the substrate transport module and the magnetic field formed by the first coil.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for transporting a substrate and a power supply method in the apparatus for transporting a substrate. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in an apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) for performing processing on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter also referred to as a "wafer"), which is a substrate, the wafer is transported between a carrier that contains the wafer and a substrate processing chamber in which the processing is performed. A substrate transport mechanism having various configurations is used for transporting the wafer. The applicant is currently developing a substrate processing apparatus that transports substrates using a substrate transport module that utilizes magnetic levitation.

[0003] As an example of an apparatus that utilizes magnetic levitation, Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which a first magnet is provided on the floor of a substrate transfer chamber, a second magnet is provided in a substrate transfer module, and magnetic levitation is achieved by using the repulsive force between the first and second magnets. The second magnet is an electromagnet that receives power from a battery provided in the substrate transfer module, and it is described that a control signal related to power supply control can be obtained by wireless communication. However, the specific configuration related to power supply control is not described. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes technology relating to the arrangement of a magnet array in a displacement device that includes a stator having a coil and a movable stage having a magnet array, and that provides relative movement between the stator and the movable stage. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-36757 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2014-531189 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique for wirelessly supplying power to power consuming devices provided in a substrate transport module that transports a substrate using magnetic levitation in an apparatus for transporting a substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present disclosure provides an apparatus for transporting a substrate, comprising: a tile section that constitutes a moving surface of an area in which the substrate is transported and includes a plurality of first coils that form a magnetic field on the moving surface by power supply from a power supply section; a substrate transfer module including a plurality of magnets that exert a repulsive force against the magnetic field, the substrate transfer module being configured to be movable on the moving surface by magnetic levitation using the repulsive force, and including a substrate holding unit that holds a substrate to be transferred; The substrate transport module is an apparatus equipped with a second coil for power supply, which utilizes the electromotive force acting between the magnetic field formed by the first coil and the second coil to wirelessly supply power to a power consuming device provided within the substrate transport module while the substrate transport module is moving on the moving surface. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, in an apparatus for transporting a substrate, it is possible to wirelessly supply power to a power consuming device provided in a substrate transport module that transports a substrate using magnetic levitation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a substrate processing system. [Diagram 2] 3A to 3C are a plan view, a side view, and a bottom view showing an example of the configuration of a substrate transfer module. [Diagram 3] 11 is a see-through perspective view showing a configuration example of a first coil provided in a tile section and a main body section of a substrate transfer module. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing an example of the configuration of a first coil and a magnet of a substrate transfer module. FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration example of a tile section and a substrate transfer module; FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a system for wirelessly supplying power to a sensor provided in a substrate transfer module. [Figure 7A] 11 is a first side view showing the operation of the first coil and the substrate transfer module; FIG. [Figure 7B] 13 is a second side view showing the operation of the first coil and the substrate transfer module. FIG. [Figure 8A] FIG. 11 is a first plan view showing an example of the operation of the substrate transfer module. [Figure 8B] 13 is a second plan view showing an example of the operation of the substrate transfer module. FIG. [Figure 9] 11A and 11B are plan views showing an example of the operation of the substrate transfer module. [Figure 10A] FIG. 11 is a first explanatory diagram for explaining the function of a first coil and a second coil for power supply of the substrate transport module. [Figure 10B] 13 is a second explanatory diagram for explaining the action of the first coil and the second coil of the substrate transport module. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a first characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the moving speed and the angular velocity of the substrate transfer module. [Figure 12] 11 is a plan view showing the rotational operation of the substrate transfer module. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a second characteristic diagram showing an example of control of current with respect to the rotation angle of the substrate transfer module. [Figure 14] 11 is a first flowchart showing an example of power supply control of the substrate transfer module. [Figure 15] 13 is a second flowchart showing an example of power supply control of the substrate transfer module. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a bottom view showing another example of the substrate transfer module. [Figure 17] 13 is a plan view showing yet another example of the substrate transfer module. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing another example of the first coil. [Figure 19]FIG. 11 is a plan view showing still another example of the first coil. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] <Substrate processing system> Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 1, a configuration example of a substrate processing system 1 serving as a substrate transport device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. 1 illustrates a multi-chamber type substrate processing system 1 having a plurality of substrate processing chambers 11 for processing wafers W. As shown in the figure, in the substrate processing system 1, an atmospheric transfer chamber 12, a load lock chamber 13, and a substrate transfer chamber 14 are arranged in a front-to-rear direction. In addition, a plurality of substrate processing chambers 11 are provided on each of the left and right sides of the substrate transfer chamber 14. Hereinafter, in the substrate processing system 1, the front-to-rear direction is referred to as the "X direction", the left-to-right direction that horizontally intersects with the front-to-rear direction is referred to as the "Y direction", and in the front-to-rear direction, the atmospheric transfer chamber 12 side is referred to as the front side and the substrate transfer chamber 14 side is referred to as the back side.

[0010] A load port 121 is provided at the front side of the atmospheric transfer chamber 12, on which a carrier C accommodating a wafer W to be processed is placed. For example, a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) can be used as the carrier C. The atmospheric transfer chamber 12 has an atmospheric (normal pressure) atmosphere, and a transfer mechanism 122 is provided therein and configured to transfer the wafer W between the carrier C and the load lock chamber 13. The load lock chamber 13 is configured so that the atmosphere can be switched between atmospheric pressure and vacuum, and includes a delivery stage 130 on which the wafer W is placed, and lift pins 131.

[0011] 1, the substrate transfer chamber 14 is configured with a housing that is long in the front-rear direction and has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and includes a tile section 16 that constitutes a moving surface 15 of an area where the wafer W is transferred. The tile section 16 is installed over the entire floor surface of the substrate transfer chamber 14, and the moving surface 15 constitutes the floor surface of the substrate transfer chamber 14. In this example, the substrate processing chamber 11 is configured to process the wafer W in a vacuum atmosphere, and the inside of the substrate transfer chamber 14 is depressurized to a vacuum atmosphere by a vacuum exhaust mechanism (not shown).

[0012] For example, four substrate processing chambers 11 are connected to each of the left and right sides of the substrate transfer chamber 14, and openings 110 are formed between the substrate transfer chamber 14 and the substrate processing chambers 11 for transferring wafers W to each of the substrate processing chambers 11. In Fig. 1, symbols G1, G2, and G3 denote gate valves for opening and closing transfer ports for wafers W such as the openings 110. Inside the substrate transfer chamber 14, a substrate transfer module (hereinafter referred to as a “transfer module”) 2 that transfers the wafer W between the load lock chamber 13 and each substrate processing chamber 11 is provided.

[0013] For example, the length of the short side of the substrate transfer chamber 14 is such that two transfer modules 2 each holding a wafer W can pass each other while lined up side by side. In the substrate transfer chamber 14, the wafer W is transferred using a plurality of transfer modules 2. In this example, a plurality of first coils 3 are provided on a tile section 16 forming a moving surface 15, and the transfer modules 2 are configured to move by utilizing magnetic levitation using a repulsive force between the first coils 3. The detailed configurations of the first coils 3 and the transfer modules 2 will be described later.

[0014] Each substrate processing chamber 11 is depressurized to a vacuum atmosphere by a vacuum exhaust mechanism (not shown). A mounting table 111 and lift pins 112 are provided inside each substrate processing chamber 11, and a predetermined process is performed on the wafer W while it is placed on the mounting table 111. The lift pins 112, 131 are configured to push up and hold the wafer W from below, and transfer the wafer W. Examples of the process performed on the wafer W include an etching process, a film forming process, a cleaning process, an ashing process, and the like.

[0015] <Control Unit> The substrate processing system 1 includes a control unit 5. The control unit 5 is configured by a computer having a CPU and a storage unit, and controls each unit of the substrate processing system 1. The storage unit records a program in which steps (commands) for controlling the operation of the substrate processing chamber 11 and the like are organized. The program is stored in a storage medium, such as a hard disk, a compact disk, a magnet optical disk, a memory card, or a non-volatile memory, and is installed in the computer from there. The storage unit also stores a program for moving and powering the transfer module 2. The control unit 5 constitutes a power supply control unit 51, which will be described later, and is configured to control functions related to the movement of the transfer module 2 and wireless power supply.

[0016] A brief description will now be given of an example of the transfer of the wafer W in the substrate processing system 1. The wafer W in the carrier C placed on the load port 121 is transferred by the transfer mechanism 122 to the load lock chamber 13 under atmospheric pressure. Then, after the atmosphere in the load lock chamber 13 is switched from atmospheric pressure to a vacuum atmosphere, the wafer W in the load lock chamber 13 is transferred by the transfer module 2 to the substrate processing chamber 11 where the processing of the wafer W is performed.

[0017] In the substrate processing chamber 11, the wafer W placed on the mounting table 111 is heated as necessary to a preset temperature, and if a processing gas supply unit is provided, a processing gas is supplied into the substrate processing chamber 11. In this manner, a desired processing is performed on the wafer W. After the processing of the wafer W is completed, the wafer W is transferred in the reverse order to the loading procedure, and is returned from the substrate processing chamber 11 to the load lock chamber 13. Furthermore, after the atmosphere in the load lock chamber 13 is switched to an atmospheric pressure atmosphere, the wafer W is returned to the predetermined carrier C by the transfer mechanism 122.

[0018] <Substrate transfer module> In the substrate processing system 1 having the schematic configuration described above, the transfer module 2 is configured to be movable within the substrate transfer chamber 14 by magnetic levitation. The transfer module 2 not only performs the transfer of the wafer W, but also has a function of wirelessly supplying power to power consuming devices provided in the transfer module 2. The transfer of the wafer W using the transfer module 2 and the configuration of devices related to wireless power supply will be described below.

[0019] FIG. 2(a) shows a plan view of the transfer module 2, FIG. 2(b) shows a side view thereof, and FIG. 2(c) shows a bottom view thereof. As shown in these figures, the transfer module 2 includes a main body 21 and a fork 22 that is provided so as to extend from the main body 21 as a base end in a direction (horizontal direction) along the moving surface 15. A substrate holding part 23 that horizontally holds a wafer W to be transferred is formed at the tip of the fork 22. The substrate holding part 23 is configured so as to be able to surround, from the sides, three lift pins 131, 112 provided in the load lock chamber 13 or the substrate processing chamber 11, for example.

[0020] The forks 22 are configured to have a length that allows them to transfer the wafer W to the mounting table 111 by inserting them into the substrate processing chamber 11 through the opening 110 with the gate valve G3 open, for example, while the main body 21 remains positioned in the substrate transfer chamber 14. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the transfer module 2 will be described using a coordinate system (X', Y', Z') set for the module 2. In this coordinate system, the protruding direction of the forks 22 is defined as the front-rear direction (X' direction), and the tip side of the forks 22 in the front-rear direction is defined as the front. In addition, the direction horizontally intersecting the front-rear direction is defined as the left-right direction (Y' direction).

[0021] The main body 21 is provided with a magnet 4 (see FIG. 3) that generates a repulsive force against a magnetic field formed in the tile unit 16 described later. The transfer module 2 is also provided with a power consuming device, for example, a sensor 51. Examples of the sensor 51 include a position sensor, an acceleration sensor, a tilt sensor, and a temperature sensor. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 2(b) and 2(c), for example, a position sensor 511 is provided on the lower surface of the tip side of the substrate holding unit 23, and a tilt sensor 512 is provided inside the main body 21.

[0022] Further, for example, a second coil 6 for wirelessly supplying power to the sensor 51 is provided at a position close to the substrate holding portion 23 on the lower surface side of the fork 22. In this manner, the second coil 6 and the magnet 4 are arranged at positions where they do not overlap each other when viewed from the moving surface 15. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2(b), the transport module 2 is provided with a battery 52, for example, on the upper surface of the main body 21. This battery 52 stores the power supplied through the second coil 6 and supplies it to the sensor 51, and the second coil 6 and the battery 52, and the battery 52 and the sensor 51 are electrically connected to each other. The battery 52 in this example stores power for the sensor 51, so that a small capacity is sufficient, and a small and lightweight battery can be used. For example, as an example of the battery 52, assuming that the power consumption of the sensor 51 is about 3 W, the capacity is 1000 mAh and the weight is about 20 to 25 g.

[0023] <Tile section> Next, the tile section 16 constituting the moving surface 15 of the substrate transfer chamber 14 will be described with reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5. As shown typically in Figure 5, the floor surface (moving surface 15) of the substrate transfer chamber 14 is composed of the tile section 16. Although Figure 5 illustrates the tile section 16 on a portion of the moving surface 15, in reality the tile section 16 is installed on the entire floor surface of the substrate transfer chamber 14. 8A and 8B, the tile section 16 is configured by arranging a plurality of tile units T, each of which has a rectangular shape in a plan view, vertically and horizontally, and a plurality of first coils 3 are provided inside each tile unit T. These first coils 3 form a magnetic field on the moving surface 15 when power is supplied from a power supply unit 34, which constitutes a DC power supply unit.

[0024] The first coil 3 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional side view taken along line A-A in Figure 3. As shown in these figures, the tile section 16 is provided with a plurality of first coils 3 arranged to extend in different directions along the moving surface 15 when viewed from a vertical axis intersecting with the moving surface 15.

[0025] As described with reference to FIG. 1, in the substrate processing system 1, the X direction and the Y direction are set in a common horizontal plane. The first coil 3 in this example is provided linearly so as to extend along the X direction set in the horizontal plane and the Y direction set in the horizontal plane and perpendicular to the X direction. Hereinafter, the first coil 3 extending along the Y direction may be called the A coil 31, and the first coil 3 extending along the X direction may be called the B coil 32. In FIG. 3, for convenience of illustration, the A coil 31 is shown by a broken line, and the B coil 32 is shown by a solid line. Note that the setting of the XY direction is not limited to this example, and the first coil 3 may be rotated 90°, 180°, and 270° clockwise from the example shown in FIG. 1 around the vertical axis as a center, and may be arranged to extend along these directions (FIG. 18 described later).

[0026] The area in which the first coil 3 is installed is the entire movement area of ​​the transfer module 2 from the transfer position of the wafer W between the atmospheric transfer chamber 12 (the position facing the load lock chamber 13) to just before the substrate processing chamber 11, and the surface of this movement area corresponds to the movement surface 15. Furthermore, in the case where the movement area is set so that the transfer module 2 moves by entering into the load lock chamber 13 or the substrate processing chamber 11, the first coil 3 is also provided on the floor surface of the load lock chamber 13 and the substrate processing chamber 11. Part of this movement area is shown in FIG.

[0027] The A coils 31 are spaced apart from one another in the X direction and are provided in large numbers so as to extend along the Y direction. The B coils 32 are spaced apart from one another in the Y direction and are provided in large numbers so as to extend along the X direction. Each of the A coils 31 and the B coils 32 is made up of coil wires a and b.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 4, the coil wires a and b constituting the A coil 31 and the B coil 32 are, for example, alternately stacked with each other, and the coil wires a and b stacked above and below are insulated from each other by an insulating layer 33. Such a stacked structure of the coil wires a, b and the insulating layer 33 is, for example, composed of a printed circuit board. Note that the number of layers of the coil wires a and b shown in Fig. 4 is an example, and can be appropriately changed as necessary.

[0029] 4, one end or the other in the Y direction of each of the vertically stacked coil wires a is electrically connected to one end or the other of the coil wire a arranged on the upper or lower layer side thereof. Thus, when viewed in a YZ vertical cross section, the stacked coil wires a are connected, for example, in a spiral shape, and both ends are connected to the power supply unit 34 to form the A coil 31.

[0030] Similarly, one end or the other end of each of the coil wires b stacked vertically in the X direction is electrically connected to one end or the other end of the coil wire b arranged in the upper or lower layer. Thus, when viewed in the XZ vertical cross section, the stacked coil wires b are connected in a spiral shape, for example, and both ends are connected to the power supply unit 34, thereby forming the B coil 32. Note that in Figures 3 and 5, the coil wires a and b of the top layers are shown in the A coil 31 and the B coil 32.

[0031] The power supply unit 34 is configured to supply power to the selected A coil 31 and B coil 32 based on a command from the control unit 5 (power supply control unit 51) and form a magnetic field on the upper surface of the tile unit 16 in the area where the A coil 31 and B coil 32 to which power is supplied are arranged. For convenience of illustration, only the power supply unit 34 corresponding to one A coil 31 is shown in FIG. 4, but a plurality of power supply units 34 are provided in the substrate processing system 1. In addition, a switch element 712 is provided between the power supply unit 34 and the A coil 31 and B coil 32, as shown in FIG. 6 described later. Thereby, for example, power can be supplied to the first coil 3 provided in the tile unit 16 in units of one coil wire a, b.

[0032] A coils 31 and B coils 32 are arranged in the same manner in each of the multiple tile units T. Then, by arranging each tile unit T on the floor surface of the substrate transfer chamber 14, the A coils 31 and B coils 32 provided on adjacent tile units T are respectively connected, resulting in a state in which the A coils 31 and B coils 32 are arranged over the entire moving surface 15, which is the floor surface.

[0033] 5, for example, each of the tile units T constituting the tile section 16 is given an address such as tile unit T1...Tn...Tnn. The A coils 31 provided in each tile unit T are also given an address such as a1, a2...an, and similarly, the B coils 32 are also given an address such as b1, b2...bn. In this manner, a common address is given to the first coils 3 of each tile unit T. The control unit 5 is configured to select the address of the tile unit T and the address of the first coil 3, and supply power to the A coils 31 and B coils 32 of the selected addresses via the power supply unit 34 and the switch element 712.

[0034] Next, the main body 21 of the transfer module 2 will be described. As shown in Fig. 3, the main body 21 is configured, for example, in a square shape when viewed from above, and a plurality of magnets 4 (41, 42, 43, 44) are provided therein. The magnets 4 are configured so that a repulsive force acts between them and the magnetic field generated by the first coil 3. The magnets 4 are formed, for example, in the same rectangular shape when viewed from above, and are fitted into the square-shaped main body 21 and arranged along the four sides of the outer edge of the main body 21.

[0035] Each of these magnets 4 is composed of a plurality of, for example, nine permanent magnets 45 arranged in a Halbach array. FIG. 4 shows the nine permanent magnets 45 and their magnetization directions (magnetization directions) for the magnet 44 as a representative example. As shown in FIG. 3, when the transport module 2 is arranged so that the fork 22 faces forward in the X' direction, the magnets 43 and 44 are arranged with nine permanent magnets 45 aligned along the Y' direction, and the magnetization directions of these permanent magnets 45 are oriented in a direction perpendicular to the X' direction. Similarly, the magnets 41 and 42 are arranged with nine permanent magnets 45 aligned along the X' direction, and the magnetization directions of these permanent magnets 45 are oriented in a direction perpendicular to the Y' direction.

[0036] In the transport module 2 configured in this manner, the A coil 31 and B coil 32 located below the area in which the magnets 4 (41, 42, 43, 44) are arranged are selected, and power flowing in a predetermined direction is supplied. As a result, a repulsive force is generated between the magnetic field formed by the first coil 3 and the magnetic field of the magnet 4, and this repulsive force is used to move the main body 21. For example, in Fig. 3, when power is supplied to the A coil 31, the main body 21 moves in the X direction, and when power is supplied to the B coil 32, the main body 21 moves in the Y direction.

[0037] In this way, the position where the magnetic field is generated, the magnitude of the magnetic force, and the direction of the magnetic field are adjusted in the A coil 31 and the B coil 32. Then, by controlling this magnetic field, the levitation amount (levitation distance) of the main body part 21 from the moving surface 15, and the orientation and moving direction of the main body part 21 are adjusted. As a result, the main body part 21 can be made to take a desired posture on the moving surface 15 and move in a desired direction.

[0038] Furthermore, the tile unit 16 is provided with a plurality of Hall elements (position detection sensors) (not shown). The Hall elements are an example of a magnetic sensor, and are sensors for detecting the position and orientation of the main body unit 21. The Hall elements can also detect the moving speed of the main body unit 21.

[0039] In this way, the transfer module 2 is configured to be freely movable in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions within the substrate transfer chamber 14, and can move with a high degree of freedom within the substrate transfer chamber 14. For this reason, a mechanism is required that can supply power to the sensor 51 mounted on the transfer module 2 without affecting the transfer operation of the transfer module 2. Here, as a power supply method, a configuration in which a large-capacity battery that has been charged in advance is installed, or a configuration in which power is supplied via a wire can be considered. However, with these methods, the weight of the battery and the length of the cable become problems, and there is a risk that the operating performance of the transport module 2 will be reduced.

[0040] As a method of wireless power supply, a configuration in which the transfer module is stopped at a preset power supply point to supply power, a configuration in which a power transmission unit is installed on the floor of the substrate transfer chamber along the transfer path of the wafer W, and a configuration in which microwave-band radio waves are emitted from the power transmission unit to transmit power are also possible. However, stopping the transfer module may reduce throughput, and installing a power transmission unit along the transfer path limits the transfer path. In addition, a configuration in which a new power transmission unit is installed on the floor requires a significant expansion of the existing equipment. Furthermore, when microwave-band radio waves are used, reflection occurs when radio waves are emitted in the substrate processing chamber, and there are points where power supply is impossible due to the effect of standing waves, and there is a concern that stable power supply cannot be achieved. For this reason, in the present disclosure, attention is focused on using the first coil 3 installed in the substrate transfer chamber 14 for wireless power supply on the transfer module 2 side.

[0041] (Second coil of the transport module) As described above, the transport module 2 includes the second coil 6 for wireless power supply. The second coil 6 is configured by winding a coil wire 62 around a base 61 made of a magnetic material such as ferrite. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the base 61 is configured in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is arranged so that its longitudinal direction intersects with the front-rear direction (X' direction) of the fork 22. The coil wire 62 is wound around the base 61 along its long side. The second coil 6 thus formed includes an opening surface 63 that opens toward the X' direction. For example, the size of the base 61 is such that the short side (length in the X' direction) is 10 mm to 200 mm, the long side (length in the Y' direction) is 100 mm to 300 mm, the height (length in the Z' direction) is several mm, and the weight is 50 g to 100 g. In addition, when the transport module 2 is not floating with respect to the tile part 16, a gap is formed between the upper surface of the tile part 16 and the lower surface of the second coil 6, for example.

[0042] 6 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a system for wirelessly feeding power to the transport module 2. This diagram shows the configurations of a power feeding mechanism 71 on the tile section 16 side and a power receiving mechanism 72 on the transport module 2 side. The power supply mechanism 71 on the tile unit 16 side includes a power supply unit 34 made up of a DC power supply unit, a DC / AC conversion circuit 711, a power supply control unit 51, a switch element 712, and a first coil 3 (A coil 31 and B coil 32).

[0043] The power supply control unit 51 is configured to switch the power supply state from the power supply unit 34 to each of the first coils 3 (31, 32) provided in the tile unit 16 according to the position of the magnet 4 of the transport module 2 moving on the moving surface 15 and the position of the second coil 6. The power supply state to the first coil 3 includes a drive mode for moving the transport module 2, a wireless power supply mode for supplying power to the second coil 6, and a standby mode in which no power is supplied.

[0044] In the drive mode, the DC power supplied from the power supply unit 34 is supplied to the selected A coil 31 or B coil 32 via the switch element 712 . In addition, in the wireless power supply mode, the DC power supplied from the power supply unit 34 is converted to AC power by the DC / AC conversion circuit 711 and supplied to the selected A coil 31 or B coil 32 via the power supply control unit 51 and the switch element 712. Furthermore, no power is supplied from the power supply unit 34 to the A coil 31 and the B coil 32 in the standby mode.

[0045] On the other hand, the power receiving mechanism 72 on the transport module 2 side includes the second coil 6, an AC / DC conversion circuit 721, a voltage regulator 722, and a battery 52. ​​The AC / DC conversion circuit 721 is a circuit that converts AC power into DC power, and the voltage regulator 722 adjusts the voltage of the DC power converted by the AC / DC conversion circuit 721. In this way, as described below, the AC electromotive force generated between the first coil 3 and the second coil 6 is converted into DC power by the AC / DC conversion circuit 721, and the voltage is adjusted by the voltage regulator 722, and then stored in the battery 52. ​​Then, power is supplied from the battery 52 to the sensor 51 (position sensor 511, tilt sensor 512), so that the position of the substrate holder 23, the tilt of the main body 21, and the like are detected.

[0046] Next, the control of the power supply state of the first coil 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 5, Fig. 7A, and Fig. 7B. These figures show a state in which the transfer module 2 is disposed in the substrate transfer chamber 14 with the fork 22 in a position parallel to the X direction and moves in the X direction. In Fig. 5, among the A coil 31 and the B coil 32 provided in the tile unit 16, the coils 31 and 32 in the power supply state in the drive mode and the coil 31 in the wireless power supply mode are shown by thick solid lines, and the coils in the standby mode are shown by thin solid lines. Fig. 5 shows a part of the tile units T of the tile unit 16, but the power supply state of all the coils 31 and 32 provided in the tile unit 16 is assigned to any one of the drive mode, the wireless power supply mode, and the standby mode.

[0047] 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams showing the power supply state of the A coil 31 when the conveying module 2 moves on the moving surface 15. The power supply state is indicated by "◯" for the driving mode, "●" for the wireless power supply mode, and "×" for the standby mode. In this manner, the power supply state to each A coil 31 is set so that the A coil 31 in the lower region of the main body 21 is in the driving mode, the A coil 31 in the lower region of the second coil 6 is in the wireless power supply mode, and the other A coils 31 are in the standby mode. Then, as the main body 21 moves, the power supply state to each A coil 31, that is, the position of the coil 31 set to the driving mode, the wireless power supply mode, or the standby mode, changes.

[0048] 5 is grasped by the Hall element, and the A coil 31 to be set to the drive mode is selected based on this position. For example, the position P0 is the center position of the main body 21 when viewed in a plan view. For example, the projection area of ​​the main body 21 is grasped based on this position P0, and the first coil 3 (31, 32) in the area corresponding to the projection area is selected as the coil to be set to the drive mode.

[0049] 5, for convenience of explanation, both the A coil 31 and the B coil 32 are set to the driving mode, but one or both of the A coil 31 and the B coil 32 are selected based on the moving direction of the conveying module 2. Note that the area corresponding to the projection area may be larger or smaller than the actual projection area, as long as the main body 21 can move in a desired direction by supplying power to the first coil 3 (31, 32) in that area.

[0050] The position P of the second coil 6 is calculated based on, for example, coordinate information of the position P0 of the main body 21. The position P of the second coil 6 shown in FIG. 5 is the center position of the opening surface 63, and is, for example, the center position of the base 61 of the second coil 6 when viewed in a plan view. Based on this position P, the projection area of ​​the second coil 6 is grasped, and the first coil 3 (31, 32) in the area corresponding to the projection area is selected as the coil to be set to the wireless power supply mode. The coil to be set to the wireless power supply mode is either the A coil 31 or the B coil 32 in this example, and is the A coil 31 in the examples shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7B.

[0051] As described above, the first coil 3 set in the wireless power supply mode is supplied with AC power, and a magnetic field is formed on the moving surface 15 by this first coil 3. Then, the magnetic field formed on the moving surface 15 changes due to the AC power supplied to the first coil 3, and an AC electromotive force acts between this first coil 3 and the second coil 6. As a result, an induced current is generated in the second coil 6, and this induced current is supplied to the AC / DC conversion circuit 721. The first coil 3 set in the wireless power supply mode may be one or more first coils 3 (coil wires a and b) as long as an electromotive force can be generated between the second coil 6 by supplying power to the first coil 3 in that area. In addition, the first coil 3 in a range larger than the projection area of ​​the second coil 6 may be set in the wireless power supply mode as long as it does not hinder the action of the first coil 3 set in the drive mode.

[0052] In this way, by controlling the power supply state of the first coil 3 provided in the tile section 16 according to the positions of the magnet 4 and the second coil 6 as the transfer module 2 moves, it is possible to wirelessly supply power to the sensor 51 of the moving transfer module 2. Meanwhile, the transfer operation of the wafer W by the transfer module 2 includes translational movement and rotational movement, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B. Figures 8A and 8B show the operation of transferring the wafer W in the substrate processing chamber 11 to the load lock chamber 13 by the transfer module 2.

[0053] First, as shown in Fig. 8A, the wafer W is transferred from the substrate processing chamber 11 to the substrate transfer chamber 14. This transfer operation combines rotational movement of the main body 21 around the center position P0 and translational movement in the X and Y directions as shown in (1). Also, as shown in Fig. 8B, in the substrate transfer chamber 14, the main body 21 translates in the Y direction (2) and then translates in the X direction (3) to transfer the wafer W to the load lock 13. In this way, the transfer module 2 transfers the wafer W by a combination of translational and rotational movements, and during the translational movement, the movement speed changes, accelerating at the start of the movement, moving at a substantially constant speed thereafter, and decelerating toward the end of the movement.

[0054] The magnitude of the electromotive force obtained between the first coil 3 and the second coil 6 of the tile unit 16 is affected by the magnetic flux of the second coil 6, but since the magnetic flux changes depending on the moving speed and rotation angle of the conveying module 2, there is a concern that the electromotive force will fluctuate with the conveying operation of the conveying module 2. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, when storing the electromotive force in the battery 52, a voltage regulator 722 is provided to adjust the voltage. In this voltage regulator 722, an upper limit value of the voltage of the input DC power is set, and from this viewpoint, it is preferable to suppress the fluctuation of the electromotive force. For this reason, in the present disclosure, the power supply control unit 51 performs control to suppress the fluctuation of the electromotive force during both translational movement and rotational movement.

[0055] <Constant electromotive force during translation> FIG. 9 shows a state in which the forks 22 of the transfer module 2 are arranged parallel to the X direction, and the main body 21 is aligned in the V direction in the X direction. M 1 shows a schematic diagram of a translational movement at a moving speed of (m / s). In the figure, the horizontal axis indicates the X direction, the vertical axis indicates the Y direction, and an indicates the coil wire of the top layer of the A coil 31 immediately below position P of the second coil 6. Hereinafter, the A coil 31 may be referred to as A coil an, and the B coil 32 may be referred to as B coil bn.

[0056] 10A and 10B show a case where AC power I is supplied to A coil 31 and B coil 32, respectively. X, I Y 10A and 10B show magnetic flux B penetrating the opening surface 63 of the second coil 6 when AC power is supplied to the coil A 31 and the coil B 32. In these figures, the coil arranged in the direction that generates the magnetic flux B is the A coil 31. In Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B, the directions of the AC power supplied to the A coil 31 and the B coil 32 are different, and the direction of the magnetic flux B is also different.

[0057] In the second coil 6, an electromotive force V is generated in accordance with a change in the magnetic flux B penetrating the opening surface 63. Here, in the wireless power supply mode, the power supply unit 34 supplies AC power (for example, in the case of the A coil arranged along the X direction, I X =A X sinωt) is supplied, and due to the magnetic field that changes over time due to this AC power, AC power is also obtained on the second coil 6 side based on electromagnetic induction. On the other hand, while the transport module 2 is moving, the second coil 6 moves relative to the first coil 3 of the tile section 16, and this movement also changes the magnetic flux B, causing the electromotive force V in the second coil 6 to change.

[0058] As described above, it is preferable to suppress the change in the electromotive force V caused by the movement of the transport module 2 as small as possible. Therefore, the power supply control unit 51 controls the moving speed V M Specifically, the moving speed V of the conveying module 2 with respect to the first coil 3 (A coil 31 in FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B ) disposed in a direction that generates a magnetic flux B penetrating the opening surface 63 of the second coil 6 is adjusted. M This is a power control that reduces the frequency of AC power as the frequency increases.

[0059] The power control will be described below. As shown in FIG. 9, the transfer module 2 moves at a moving speed V M Assuming that the second coil 6 moves linearly in the X direction, the magnetic flux density B penetrating the opening 63 of the second coil 6 is expressed by the following formula (1). B(x,t)=Asin(ωt+2πV M t / λ) …(1) where A is a constant, λ is the wavelength, ω is the angular velocity (ω=2πfsw), and fsw is the frequency. M Although and ω are essentially time-dependent functions, they are defined here as constants for simplicity.

[0060] On the other hand, when the magnetic flux passing through the opening 63 of the second coil 6 per unit area is Φ, since Φ=B, the electromotive force V is expressed by the following formula (2). V=-N dΦ / dt =A(ω+2πV M / λ)cos(ωt+2πV M t / λ) …(2) where N is the number of turns of the second coil. From the above formula (2), when the relationship of the following formula (3) is obtained, the electromotive force V becomes constant. ω+2πV M / λ=const …(3)

[0061] Figure 11 shows the results for A = 0.01 and λ = 10 × 10 -3 This is an example of equation (3) when the horizontal axis in FIG. 11 represents the moving speed V M (m / s), and the vertical axis is angular velocity ω. From this figure, the moving speed V M As the angular velocity ω of the AC power supplied from the power supply unit 34 increases, the value of the angular velocity ω of the AC power supplied from the power supply unit 34 is linearly decreased. This makes it possible to keep the average electromotive force in the second coil 6 (the voltage after conversion to DC power by the AC / DC conversion circuit 721) constant (to suppress fluctuations in the electromotive force). Since the angular velocity ω=2πfsw, the power supply control unit 51 linearly decreases the moving speed V of the transport module 2. M As the frequency fsw of the AC power supplied to the A coil an immediately below the second coil 6 increases, the frequency fsw of the AC power is controlled to be lowered, thereby suppressing the fluctuation of the electromotive force V.

[0062] Here, the case where the transport module 2 with the fork 22 oriented parallel to the X direction moves translationally in the X direction has been described as an example, but the case where the transport module 2 with the fork 22 oriented parallel to the Y direction moves translationally in the Y direction is also the same. In this case, the coil arranged in the direction generating the magnetic flux B penetrating the opening surface 63 of the second coil 6 is the B coil 32. When supplying AC power to the B coil 32, the power supply control unit 51 controls the moving speed V of the transport module 2. M The frequency of the AC power is controlled to be lowered as the frequency of the AC power increases.

[0063] Furthermore, the transport module 2 may move in a slanting translational manner, or may rotate around a center point without changing the orientation of the main body 21. In these movements, the transport module 2 may move at a moving speed V M The frequency of both the A coil 31 and the B coil 32 is controlled to change according to the magnitude of the X-direction and Y-direction components. Suppressing the fluctuation of the electromotive force means suppressing the fluctuation of the electromotive force within a range that does not exceed the upper limit of the voltage of the voltage regulator 52, and the fluctuation width of the electromotive force is set by the upper limit of the voltage. For example, this includes the case where the fluctuation is within ±20% from the average value of the electromotive force.

[0064] <Constant electromotive force in rotational motion> Next, power control by the power supply control unit 51 when the transport module 2 is rotated around a rotation axis perpendicular to the moving surface 15 (floor surface) in the wireless power supply mode will be described with reference to FIGS. The power supply control unit 51 is configured to control the selection of the coil for wireless power supply from the A coil 31 and the B coil 32, which is capable of generating a magnetic flux B penetrating the opening surface 63 of the second coil 6, in accordance with the rotational motion of the conveying module 2.

[0065] 12 is a schematic diagram showing how the fork 22 of the transport module 2 rotates around a vertical axis centered on position P0 in the X direction from a position parallel to the X direction. In the figure, the horizontal axis is the X direction, the vertical axis is the Y direction, and an indicates the coil wire of the A coil 31 immediately below position P of the second coil 6, and bn indicates the coil wire of the B coil 32. In this figure, the coil for wireless power supply is A coil 31, and the angle θ is the angle between the direction of magnetic flux B penetrating the opening surface 63 of the second coil 6 (the direction indicated by the dashed arrow in FIG. 12) and the arrangement direction of A coil 31 for wireless power supply (X direction in FIG. 12), as shown in FIG. 12.

[0066] As described with reference to Figures 3, 4, 5, etc., a plurality of A coils 31 and B coils 32 are provided on the moving surface 15 (tile section 16) facing different directions, for example, the X direction and the Y direction. When the conveying module 2 rotates, the magnetic flux B penetrating the opening surface 63 of the second coil 6 is influenced by the magnetic fields formed by the A coils 31 and B coils 32. In the following description, I is used for the A coil 31. X (=A X sinωt), I for B coil 32 Y (=A Y Suppose that the power is supplied at a common frequency of ωt (sinωt).

[0067] In the conveying module 2 shown in FIG. 12, the magnetic flux density B in the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction penetrating the opening surface 63 of the second coil 6 at a rotation angle θ around the vertical axis (Z axis) with the X direction as the reference (0°) is expressed by the following equation (4). B = (μ0A X sinωt / 2πZ0,-μ0A Y sinωt / 2πZ0,0) …(4) Therefore, when the unit vector normal to the opening surface 63 of the second coil 6 is n=(cos θ, sin θ, 0), the magnetic flux Φ penetrating the second coil 6 is expressed by the following formula (5). Φ=μ0sinωt / 2πZ0·(A X cosθ-A Ysinθ…(5) Therefore, the electromotive force V in the second coil 6 is expressed by the following formula (6). V=-NdΦ / dt =-N μ0ωsinωt / 2πZ0 (A X cosθ-A Y sinθ) …(6)

[0068] From the above formula (6), when the following relationship (7) is obtained, the electromotive force becomes constant. A X cosθ-A Y sinθ = const…(7) where cos 2 θ+sin 2 There is a relationship of θ=1. Therefore, the current value I of the power supplied to each of the A coil 31 and the B coil 32 is determined according to the rotation angle θ of the conveying module 2. X (=A X sinωt), I Y (=A Y sinωt), the maximum current value is A X = cosθ, A Y Each power is controlled so that

[0069] On the other hand, during the rotational operation of the conveying module 2, the distance between the A coil 31 or the B coil 32, to which power supply control is performed in the wireless power supply mode, and the magnet 4 provided in the main body 21 may become close. At this time, it is necessary to suppress the influence of the magnetic field formed around the A coil 31 / B coil 32, to which power supply is performed in the wireless power supply mode, on the operation control of the conveying module 2. Therefore, during rotation operation, the coil used for wireless power supply may be switched from the B coil 32 / A coil 31 approaching the magnet 4 in the main body 21 to the B coil 32 / A coil 31 moving away from the magnet 4 depending on the rotation angle θ of the conveying module 2.

[0070] For example, in FIG. 13, the maximum current value A X , A Y This shows the change in In this case, the formulas (4) to (7) are calculated so that power supply control is performed using either the A coil 31 or the B coil 32, and the maximum current value A X , A Y The maximum current value A in the figure is calculated. X , A Y The sign indicates the direction of the current flowing through the A coil 31 / B coil 32, and A X The positive direction of the Y axis is positive, and A Y The positive direction of the X-axis is considered positive.

[0071] 13 shows an example of the selection of A coil an and B coil bn and the maximum current value of AC power supplied to the selected A coil an and B coil bn, which are performed to suppress fluctuations in electromotive force V when the main body 21 performs the rotational motion shown in FIG. 12. In the figure, the horizontal axis is the rotation angle (angle θ) and the vertical axis is the maximum current value of AC power. With regard to the AC power supplied to the A coil an and B coil bn, the power supply to the A coil an is indicated by a thick solid line when it is "ON" and by a thin solid line when it is "OFF". In addition, the power supply to the B coil bn is indicated by a thick dashed line when it is "ON" and by a thin dashed line when it is "OFF".

[0072] As shown in this figure, for example, when the rotation angle θ=45°+n·90° (θ=an integer including 0, 1, 2, 3), either the A coil 31 or the B coil 32 is selected as the second coil 6. In other words, each first coil 3 is selected so that AC power is supplied to A coil an when 0°≦θ<45°, B coil bn when 45°≦θ<135°, A coil an when 135°≦θ<225°, B coil bn when 225°≦θ<315°, and A coil an up to 315°≦θ<360° (0°).

[0073] And each maximum current value A X , A Y Based on the result of calculating the value of θ, the closer the rotation angle θ is to 45°±n·90° (n=0,1,2,3), the smaller the AC power supplied to A coil an and B coil bn is. X , A Y Thus, for each of the A coil an and the B coil bn, the maximum current value A is reached at θ=45°+n·90° (θ=integer including 0, 1, 2, 3) where the influence of these magnetic fields is minimized. X , A Y By supplying AC power of 1000 V, the decrease in electromotive force at the position is suppressed, and the fluctuation in the total electromotive force is suppressed. Note that the control example in Fig. 13 is just one example, and the magnitude of the current is appropriately set in consideration of conditions such as the arrangement of the first coil 3 and the upper limit voltage value of the voltage regulator 52.

[0074] Next, the operation regarding wireless power supply will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. First, the position P0 of the main body 21 of the transport module 2 is acquired (step S11). The position P0 of the main body 21 is detected by a Hall element provided in the tile unit 16 as described above. Then, in step S12, it is determined whether the detected position P0 is around the A coil an and B coil bn, that is, whether the A coil an and B coil bn are coils directly below the main body 21. If the result is "Yes," the process proceeds to step S13, where the power supply state of the A coil an and B coil bn is switched to the drive mode, and drive control of the transport module 2 is executed (step S14).

[0075] On the other hand, if the answer is "No", the process proceeds to step S15, where it is determined whether the position P of the second coil 6 is around the A coil an and B coil bn, that is, whether the A coil an and B coil bn are coils directly below the second coil 6. The position P of the second coil 6 is obtained by calculation based on the position P0 of the main body 21, as described above. If the answer is "Yes", the process proceeds to step S16, where the power supply state of the A coil an and B coil bn is switched to wireless power supply mode, and the process proceeds to power supply control (step S20). If the answer is "No", the process proceeds to step S17, where the power supply state of the A coil an and B coil bn is switched to standby mode (step S17).

[0076] For power supply control, in step S21, it is determined whether the angle θ is <45°+n·90° (n=0, 1, 2, 3). If "Yes", the process proceeds to step S22, where A coil an is enabled. If "No", the process proceeds to step S23, where B coil bn is enabled. "Enabled" means that A coil an (B coil bn) is selected as the coil to which AC power is supplied, and AC power is supplied to the selected A coil an (B coil bn).

[0077] Next, in step S24, the moving speed V M Based on this, the frequency of the AC power to be supplied to the activated coil is set. Furthermore, in step S25, the magnitude of the AC power to be supplied to the activated coil is set based on the angle θ formed by the transport module 2. In this way, AC power with frequency and magnitude controlled is supplied to the activated A coil an (B coil bn). In this way, the power supply state of the first coil 3 corresponding to position P0 of the main body 21 of the conveying module 2 is switched to the drive mode, and the power supply state of the first coil 3 corresponding to position P of the second coil 6 is switched to the wireless power supply mode, and they are driven in the drive mode and the wireless power supply mode, respectively.

[0078] According to this embodiment, the second coil 6 is provided in the transport module 2 and utilizes the electromotive force acting between the second coil 6 and the magnetic field formed by the first coil 3 of the tile section 16, making it possible to wirelessly supply power to a power consuming device provided in the transport module 2. Therefore, by providing the second coil 6 in the transport module 2 and controlling the power supply state of the first coil 3 of the tile section 16 in the conventional manner, it is possible to execute wireless power supply by changing the software without changing the hardware. Moreover, power can be supplied wirelessly to the power consuming devices while the transport module 2 is moving on the moving surface 15. Therefore, power can be supplied wirelessly in real time in the moving area of ​​the transport module 2 by following the free movement of the transport module 2 in the X, Y, Z, and θ directions.

[0079] Furthermore, the power supply state of each of the first coils 3 in the tile section 16 is switched so that the first coil 3 corresponding to the position of the magnet 4 of the transport module 2 is in a drive mode, the first coil 3 corresponding to the position of the second coil 6 is in a wireless power supply mode, and the other first coils 3 are in a standby mode. Coils are laid out in the tile section 16 so as to cover the entire movable range of the transport module 2, and the first coil 3 used for levitating and moving the transport module 2 is only the first coil 3 directly below the main body section 21.

[0080] Therefore, there is no need to provide a new coil for wireless power supply, and movement of the transfer module 2 and wireless power supply can be performed simultaneously using the existing tile unit 16. In this manner, the transfer operation of the wafer W by the transfer module 2 and wireless power supply can be performed at the same time, so that power can be supplied while suppressing a decrease in throughput. Moreover, the magnet 4 and the second coil 6 provided in the main body 21 are disposed at positions where they do not overlap each other when viewed from the moving surface 15. Therefore, the driving of the main body 21 using the magnet 4 and the wireless power supply using the second coil 6 can be operated independently of each other while suppressing mutual interference.

[0081] Furthermore, when AC power is supplied to the first coil 3 of the tile section 16, the frequency is controlled according to the moving speed of the transport module 2. This suppresses fluctuations in electromotive force even if the moving speed changes during the translational movement of the transport module 2. Furthermore, the magnitude of the AC power is controlled according to the rotation angle of the transport module 2. This suppresses fluctuations in electromotive force even during the rotational movement of the transport module 2. Therefore, power can be transmitted with suppressed fluctuations in electromotive force at any position in the movement area of ​​the transport module 2, and real-time and highly stable wireless power supply is possible while the transport module 2 is moving.

[0082] Furthermore, even when a battery 52 that stores the power supplied via the second coil 6 is provided, in the above embodiment, the battery 52 stores the power of the sensor 51. Therefore, since there is no need to provide a large-capacity battery, a small and lightweight battery 52 can be used. Therefore, even if the battery 52 is provided in the transport module 2, there is little risk of affecting the movement performance of the transport module 2.

[0083] <Another example of the second coil> Next, other examples of the second coil will be described with reference to Fig. 16 and Fig. 17. As shown in these figures, the shape and installation position of the second coil can be set arbitrarily. 16 shows a bottom view of the transport module 2. In this example, the second coil 81 is provided on the lower surface of the fork 22 at a position close to the substrate holding portion 23, and the base 82 is formed of a ring-shaped body that is rectangular in plan view. The coil wire 83 is wound between an opening 821 and an outer wall portion 822 of the base 82, and is configured so that the opening surface of the second coil 82 faces the circumferential direction of the base 82. Alternatively, the coil wire 83 may be configured so that it is wound in the circumferential direction along the outer wall portion 822 of the base 82. In this case, the opening surface of the second coil 82 is configured to face the Z' direction.

[0084] 17 is a plan view of the conveying module 2, showing an example in which the second coil 84 is provided in the main body 21. In this example, the base 85 of the second coil 84 is provided so as to surround the side wall of the main body 21, and is formed of a ring-shaped body that is rectangular in plan view. The coil wire (not shown) may be wound between an opening 851 and an outer wall 852 of the base 85, similarly to the second coil 81 shown in FIG. 16, for example, or may be wound in the circumferential direction along the outer wall of the base 85.

[0085] In these examples, the second coils 81, 84 are also disposed at positions not overlapping with the magnets 4 provided in the main body 21 as viewed from the moving surface 15. Therefore, by switching the power supply state of each of the first coils 3 provided in the tile portion 16 among the driving mode, the wireless power supply mode, and the standby mode, it is possible to move the transport module 2 and wirelessly supply power to the sensor 51 provided in the transport module 2.

[0086] <Another example of the first coil> Furthermore, the first coil provided in the tile unit 16 is not limited to the above example. For example, the multiple coils arranged in the tile unit 16 so as to extend in different directions along the moving surface 15 when viewed from a vertical axis intersecting the moving surface 15 may be configured as shown in FIG.

[0087] The tile unit 16 in the example shown in Fig. 18 includes A coils 31 (a1, a2...an) and B coils 32 (b1, b2...bn) provided as described above, as well as C coils and D coils. The C coils (c1, c2...cn) are arranged along the Y direction and are formed to extend in a direction that forms an angle θ1 with the Y direction, and the D coils (d1, d2...dn) are arranged along the Y direction and are formed to extend in a direction that forms an angle θ2 with the Y direction. In the example shown in Fig. 18, the angles θ1 and θ2 are both set to 45°. In this example, too, the conveying module 2 can wirelessly supply power to power consuming devices provided in the conveying module 2 by utilizing the electromotive force acting between the magnetic field formed by coils A, B, C, and D provided in the tile section 16.

[0088] Furthermore, in the wireless power supply mode, the power supplied to the first coil 3 provided in the tile unit 16 may be not only AC but also DC. Fig. 19 shows a case where the power supply state of the A coil 31 (a1, a2,...an) is set to the wireless power supply mode when the fork 22 of the conveying module 2 configured as shown in Fig. 2 is arranged in a posture parallel to the X direction and is translated in the X direction. In this configuration, for example, the A coil 31 is provided with multiple I X Group 1 supplies current in the -I direction, and X Group 1 supplies current in the X direction, and group 2 supplies current in the X direction. Then, groups 1 and 2 are arranged alternately in the X direction.

[0089] Transfer module 2 moves in the X direction at a speed of V M 19, when the second coil 6 passes through the group 1 area and the group 2 area, the directions of the magnetic flux B passing through the second coil 6 are different from each other, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 19. Therefore, the magnetic flux changes between the first coil 3 and the second coil 6 of the tile unit 16 due to the movement of the transport module 2, and an electromotive force is generated. In this way, even when DC power is supplied to the first coil 3 of the tile unit 16, it is possible to wirelessly supply power to the transport module 2.

[0090] In the present disclosure, as the first coil 3 provided in the tile unit 16, a driving coil for driving the conveying module 2 and a second coil for wireless power supply for wireless power supply may be separately provided in the tile unit 16. In this case, there is no need to switch the power supply state of the first coil 3 among the driving mode, the wireless power supply mode, and the standby mode, making the control easier.

[0091] In addition, examples of power consuming devices provided within the conveying module 2 include, in addition to various sensors 51 such as the position sensor 511 and tilt sensor 512 as described above, a camera and, if the magnet provided in the main body 21 is an electromagnet, the electromagnet itself. Furthermore, the transport module 2 does not necessarily need to be provided with the battery 52. ​​The electromotive force obtained in the second coil 6 may be converted into DC power by, for example, an AC / DC conversion circuit 722, and then the power may be supplied directly to the sensor 51.

[0092] When a battery 52 is provided, the electromotive force obtained by the second coil 6 can be stored, so that it is not necessary to set the power supply state of the first coil 3 of the tile section 16 corresponding to the second coil 6 to the wireless power supply mode when the transport module 2 is moving on the moving surface 15. For example, when the battery 52 has a large amount of stored power, wireless power supply is not performed in the second coil 6, and the sensor 51 may be supplied with power from the battery 52 to drive the sensor 51.

[0093] As described above, when AC power is supplied to the first coil 3, an AC electromotive force acts between the first coil 3 and the second coil 6. Therefore, an electromotive force is generated not only when the transfer module 2 is moving on the moving surface 15, but also when the transfer module 2 is stopped. For this reason, when the battery 52 is provided, the electromotive force obtained in the second coil 6 may be stored while the transfer module 2 is stopped, for example, while waiting to transfer the wafer W. Then, while the transfer module 2 is moving to transfer the wafer W, the second coil 6 may not wirelessly supply power, and the battery 52 may supply power to the sensor 51 to drive the sensor 51.

[0094] Furthermore, the coils provided in the tile section 16 are not limited to the above example. Any other configuration may be used as long as a magnetic field can be formed on the moving surface 15 of the substrate transfer chamber 14 by supplying power. For example, coils wound in a spiral shape around a vertical axis may be arranged. Furthermore, in the above description, an example has been described in which an address is assigned to the tile units T constituting the tile section 16, and the A coil 31 and B coil 32 in this tile unit T are assigned an address common to the tile units T. This example is not limiting, and different coil addresses may be assigned to all of the A coils 31 and B coils 32 stretched across the entire moving surface 15 of the substrate transport chamber 14, and the coils to be set to the respective modes in the power supply state may be selected based on these coil addresses.

[0095] Furthermore, the substrate processing chamber 11 is not limited to a configuration in which wafers are processed in a vacuum atmosphere, and may be configured to process wafers in an atmospheric pressure atmosphere. Accordingly, the substrate transfer chamber 14 may be configured to have an atmospheric pressure atmosphere. Furthermore, the main body 21 of the transfer module 2 is not limited to a rectangular shape in plan view, and may be a circular shape in plan view.

[0096] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] W wafer 15 Moving Surface 16 Tile Section 2. Substrate Transfer Module 23 Board holding part 3 First coil 34 Power supply unit 51 Sensors (power consumption devices) 6 Second coil 31A coil 32 B coil

Claims

1. An apparatus for transporting a substrate, comprising: a tile unit that constitutes a moving surface of an area in which the substrate is transported and includes a plurality of first coils that form a magnetic field on the moving surface by power supply from a power supply unit; a substrate transfer module including a plurality of magnets that exert a repulsive force against the magnetic field, the substrate transfer module being configured to be movable on the moving surface by magnetic levitation using the repulsive force, and including a substrate holding unit that holds a substrate to be transferred; The substrate transport module is provided with a second coil for power supply, which utilizes the electromotive force acting between the magnetic field formed by the first coil and the second coil to wirelessly supply power to a power consuming device provided within the substrate transport module while the substrate transport module is moving on the moving surface.

2. In the substrate transfer module, the magnet and the second coil are disposed at positions not overlapping each other as viewed from the moving plane, 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply control unit that switches a power supply state from the power supply unit between a drive mode for moving the substrate transport module, a wireless power supply mode for supplying power to the second coil, and a standby mode in which no power is supplied, for each of the first coils provided in the tile section, depending on the position of the magnet of the transport module moving on the moving surface and the position of the second coil.

3. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the power supply unit is configured to supply AC power to the first coil, and the power supply control unit performs control in the wireless power supply mode to reduce a frequency of the AC power as the moving speed of the substrate transport module increases relative to the first coil, which is arranged in a direction that generates a magnetic flux that penetrates an opening surface of the second coil, in order to suppress fluctuations in the electromotive force.

4. The tile is provided with a plurality of first coils arranged to extend in different directions along the moving surface when viewed from a vertical axis intersecting the moving surface, 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the power supply unit is configured to supply AC power to the first coil, and the power supply control unit, in the wireless power supply mode, controls to change a maximum current value of the AC power in order to suppress fluctuations in the electromotive force for the first coil arranged to extend in one direction or for multiple first coils arranged to extend in different directions in response to the rotational motion of the substrate transport module around the vertical axis.

5. The tile is provided with a plurality of first coils arranged to extend in different directions along the moving surface when viewed from a vertical axis intersecting the moving surface, 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the power supply unit is configured to supply AC power to the first coil, and the power supply control unit controls switching of the first coil used in the wireless power supply mode from the first coil arranged to extend in a direction approaching the magnet of the substrate transport module to the first coil arranged to extend in a direction away from the magnet in accordance with the rotational motion of the substrate transport module around the vertical axis in order to avoid an influence of a magnetic field formed in the second coil on the movement operation of the substrate transport module in the wireless power supply mode.

6. The apparatus described in claim 1, wherein the substrate transport module comprises a main body portion in which the magnet is provided, and a fork extending in a direction along the moving surface from the main body portion as a base end and having the substrate holding portion formed at its tip, and the second coil is provided on the fork.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate transport module comprises a battery that stores the power supplied via the second coil and supplies the power to the power consuming device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: an AC / DC conversion circuit between the second coil and the battery for converting AC power supplied via the second coil into DC power; and a voltage regulator for adjusting the voltage of the DC power converted by the AC / DC conversion circuit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power consumer is a sensor disposed in the substrate transport module.

10. A power supply method for a substrate transport device, comprising: a substrate transport module including a tile section that constitutes a moving surface of an area where the substrate is transported and that has a plurality of first coils provided thereon that form a magnetic field on the moving surface by power supply from a power supply section, a plurality of magnets that exert a repulsive force against the magnetic field, and a substrate holding section that holds the substrate to be transported, and the substrate transport module is moved on the moving surface by magnetic levitation using the repulsive force; The method includes a step of using a second coil for power supply provided in the substrate transport module, and utilizing the electromotive force acting between the magnetic field formed by the first coil and the second coil to wirelessly supply power to a power consuming device provided in the substrate transport module while the substrate transport module is moving along the moving surface.

11. In the substrate transfer module, the magnet and the second coil are disposed at positions not overlapping each other as viewed from the moving plane, The method of claim 10, further comprising: switching a power supply state from the power supply unit between a drive mode for moving the substrate transport module, a wireless power supply mode for supplying power to the second coil, and a standby mode in which no power is supplied, for each of the first coils provided in the tile unit, depending on the position of the magnet of the transport module and the position of the second coil, during the step of moving the substrate transport module on the moving surface.

12. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the power supply unit is configured to supply AC power to the first coil, and in the step of switching the power supply state from the power supply unit, in the wireless power supply mode, in order to suppress fluctuations in the electromotive force, control is performed to lower the frequency of the AC power as the moving speed of the substrate transport module increases relative to the first coil, which is arranged in a direction that generates a magnetic flux that penetrates an opening surface of the second coil.

13. The tile is provided with a plurality of first coils arranged to extend in different directions along the moving surface when viewed from a vertical axis intersecting the moving surface, 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the power supply unit is configured to supply AC power to the first coil, and in the step of switching the power supply state from the power supply unit, in the wireless power supply mode, control is performed to change a maximum current value of the AC power in order to suppress fluctuations in the electromotive force for the first coil arranged to extend in one direction or for multiple first coils arranged to extend in different directions in response to the rotational motion of the substrate transport module around the vertical axis.

14. The tile is provided with a plurality of first coils arranged to extend in different directions along the moving surface when viewed from a vertical axis intersecting the moving surface, The method according to claim 11, wherein in the step of switching the power supply state from the power supply unit, in order to avoid an influence of the magnetic field formed in the second coil controlled in the wireless power supply mode on the movement operation of the substrate transport module, the first coil used in the wireless power supply mode is switched from the first coil arranged to extend in a direction approaching the magnet of the substrate transport module to the first coil arranged to extend in a direction away from the magnet in accordance with the rotational motion of the substrate transport module around the vertical axis.

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