Substrate transfer device, substrate transfer method, and substrate processing system

The substrate transfer device employs a planar motor with a transfer unit that uses a frog-leg type operation to reduce the occupied area, addressing the issue of large area occupation in existing substrate transfer systems and lowering cleanroom costs.

JP7686121B2Active Publication Date: 2025-05-30TOKYO ELECTRON LTD
View PDF 7 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024102148
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-06-25
Publication Date
2025-05-30
Estimated Expiration
2041-01-12

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing substrate transfer devices in semiconductor manufacturing processes occupy a large area due to limitations in the rotation and telescopic movement of transfer robots, which increases the cleanroom cost and installation area of substrate processing systems.

Method used

A substrate transfer device utilizing a planar motor with a transfer unit that includes two bases with rotatable members, link members connecting the bases and the substrate holding unit, and a linear drive unit to magnetically levitate and move the bases, allowing for a frog-leg type expansion and contraction operation to reduce the occupied area.

Benefits of technology

The solution effectively reduces the occupied area of the transfer unit and the vacuum transfer chamber, minimizing the overall installation area of the substrate processing system and reducing cleanroom costs.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure 0007686121000001
    Figure 0007686121000001
  • Figure 0007686121000002
    Figure 0007686121000002
  • Figure 0007686121000003
    Figure 0007686121000003
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of reducing an occupation area of a transportation unit having a substrate holding unit in substrate transportation using a plane motor.SOLUTION: A substrate transportation device includes: a substrate holding unit for holding a substrate; two bases having a plurality of magnets inside, and moves the substrate holding unit; a transportation unit having two link members which connect the substrate holding unit and the two bases; a body section; a plurality of electro magnet coils arrayed in the body section; and a plane motor having a linear driving unit which supplies power to the electro magnets and magnetic levitates the bases. The two bases include a first member and a second member rotatably arranged in the first member. Magnets are arranged in the first member and the second member. The two link members are rotatably connected to the second member and include a joint. The linear driving unit makes the second member rotate with respect to the first member, and allow the two link members to perform frog leg type telescopic motion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate transfer device, a substrate transfer method, and a substrate processing system.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in a semiconductor manufacturing process, when processing a semiconductor wafer as a substrate, a substrate processing system including a plurality of processing chambers, a vacuum transfer chamber connected to the processing chambers, and a substrate transfer device provided in the vacuum transfer chamber is used.

[0003] Conventionally, a transfer robot having an articulated arm structure has been used as such a substrate transfer device (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] In addition, as a technology capable of solving the problems of gas intrusion from a vacuum seal and limited rotation and telescopic movement of a transfer robot in a technology using a transfer robot, a substrate transfer device using a planar motor utilizing magnetic levitation has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present disclosure provides a substrate transfer device, a substrate transfer method, and a substrate processing system capable of reducing the occupied area of a transfer unit including a substrate holding unit in substrate transfer using a planar motor.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A substrate transfer device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate transfer device that transfers a substrate to a substrate transfer position, and includes a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate, two bases that have a plurality of magnets inside and move the substrate holding unit, and a transfer unit having two link members that connect the substrate holding unit and the two bases respectively, a main body unit, a plurality of electromagnetic coils arranged in the main body unit, and a linear drive unit that supplies power to the electromagnetic coils to magnetically levitate and linearly drive the bases. The two bases each have a first member and a second member rotatably provided in the first member, the magnets are provided inside the first member and the second member, the two link members are each rotatably connected to the second member of the corresponding base and have joints, and the linear drive unit rotates the second member with respect to the first member to cause the two link members to perform a frog-leg type expansion and contraction operation, and the substrate holding member is expanded and contracted via the link members.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, there are provided a substrate transfer device, a substrate transfer method, and a substrate processing system that can reduce the occupied area of a transfer unit including a substrate holding unit in substrate transfer using a planar motor.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] <An example of a substrate processing system> FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a substrate processing system. The substrate processing system 100 in this example continuously processes a plurality of substrates. The processing of the substrate is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include various processes such as film formation processing, etching processing, ashing processing, and cleaning processing. The substrate is not particularly limited, but in the following description, the case where a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter also simply referred to as a wafer) is used as the substrate will be described as an example.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing system 100 is a system having a cluster structure (multi-chamber type), and includes a plurality of processing apparatuses 110, a vacuum transfer chamber 120, a load lock chamber 130, an atmospheric transfer chamber 140, a substrate transfer apparatus 150, and a control unit 160.

[0013] The vacuum transfer chamber 120 has a rectangular planar shape, the interior of which is depressurized to a vacuum atmosphere, and a plurality of processing chambers 110 are connected to the opposing wall portions on the long side via gate valves G. Further, a load lock chamber 130 is connected to one of the wall portions on the short side of the vacuum transfer chamber 120 via a gate valve G1. An atmospheric transfer chamber 140 is connected to the side of the load lock chamber 130 opposite to the vacuum transfer chamber 120 via a gate valve G2. In FIG. 1, the arrangement direction of the processing chambers 110 is the X direction, and the direction orthogonal to the X direction is the Y direction. Further, FIG. 1 shows the case where there is one load lock chamber 130, but there may be a plurality of load lock chambers 130.

[0014] The substrate transfer device 150 in the vacuum transfer chamber 120 transfers wafers W, which are substrates, into and out of the processing chambers 110 and the load lock chamber 130. The substrate transfer device 150 has a transfer unit 20 having an end effector 50, which is a wafer holding unit that actually holds the wafer W. Details of the substrate transfer device 150 will be described later.

[0015] The space between the processing chamber 110 and the vacuum transfer chamber 120 communicates by opening the gate valve G, enabling the transfer of the wafer W by the substrate transfer device 150, and is blocked by closing the gate valve G. Also, the space between the load lock chamber 130 and the vacuum transfer chamber 120 communicates by opening the gate valve G1, enabling the transfer of the wafer W by the substrate transfer device 150, and is blocked by closing the gate valve G1.

[0016] The processing chamber 110 has a mounting table 111 for mounting the wafer W, and performs desired processing (film formation processing, etching processing, ashing processing, cleaning processing, etc.) on the wafer W mounted on the mounting table 111 in a state where the interior is depressurized to a vacuum atmosphere.

[0017] The load lock chamber 130 has a mounting table 131 for mounting the wafer W, and controls the pressure between atmospheric pressure and vacuum when transferring the wafer W between the atmospheric transfer chamber 140 and the vacuum transfer chamber 120.

[0018] The atmospheric transfer chamber 140 has an atmospheric environment, and for example, a downflow of clean air is formed. Further, a load port (not shown) is provided on the wall surface of the atmospheric transfer chamber 140. The load port is configured such that a carrier (not shown) in which the wafer W is accommodated or an empty carrier is connected. As the carrier, for example, a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) or the like can be used.

[0019] Also, inside the atmospheric transfer chamber 140, an atmospheric transfer device (not shown) for transferring the wafer W is provided. The atmospheric transfer device takes out the wafer W accommodated in a load port (not shown) and places it on the mounting table 131 of the load lock chamber 130, or takes out the wafer W placed on the mounting table 131 of the load lock chamber 130 and accommodates it in the load port. The load lock chamber 130 and the atmospheric transfer chamber 140 communicate with each other by opening the gate valve G2, enabling the transfer of the wafer W by the atmospheric transfer device, and are blocked by closing the gate valve G2.

[0020] The control unit 160 is composed of a computer and has a main control unit equipped with a CPU, an input device, an output device, a display device, and a storage device (storage medium). The main control unit controls the operations of the respective components of the substrate processing system 100. For example, it controls the processing of the wafer W in each processing chamber 110, the transfer of the wafer W by the substrate transfer device 150, and the opening and closing of the gate valves G, G1, G2. The control of each component by the main control unit is based on a processing recipe, which is a control program stored in a storage medium (hard disk, optical disk, semiconductor memory, etc.) built into the storage device.

[0021] Next, an example of the operation of the substrate processing system 100 will be described. Here, as an example of the operation of the substrate processing system 100, the operation of processing the wafer W accommodated in a carrier attached to the load port in the processing chamber 110 and accommodating it in an empty carrier attached to the load port will be described. The following operations are executed based on the processing recipe of the control unit 160.

[0022] First, the wafer W is taken out from the carrier connected to the load port by an air transfer device (not shown) in the air transfer chamber 140, the gate valve G2 is opened, and it is carried into the load lock chamber 130 in the air atmosphere. Then, after closing the gate valve G2, the load lock chamber 130 into which the wafer W has been carried is set to a vacuum state corresponding to the vacuum transfer chamber 120. Next, the corresponding gate valve G1 is opened, the wafer W in the load lock chamber 130 is taken out by the end effector 50 of the transfer unit 20, and the gate valve G1 is closed. Next, after opening the gate valve G corresponding to any one of the processing chambers 110, the wafer W is carried into that processing chamber 110 by the end effector 50 and placed on the mounting table 111. Then, the end effector 50 is retracted from that processing chamber 110, after closing the gate valve G, a process such as a film forming process is performed in that processing chamber 110.

[0023] After the process in the processing chamber 110 is completed, the corresponding gate valve G is opened, and the end effector 50 of the transfer unit 20 takes out the wafer W from that processing chamber 110. Then, after closing the gate valve G, the gate valve G1 is opened, and the wafer W held by the end effector 50 is transferred to the load lock chamber 130. After that, the gate valve G1 is closed, the load lock chamber 130 into which the wafer W has been carried is set to the air atmosphere, then the gate valve G2 is opened, the wafer W is taken out from the load lock chamber 130 by an air transfer device (not shown), and stored in the carrier of the load port (both not shown).

[0024] The above processes are performed simultaneously and in parallel for a plurality of wafers W, and the process is carried out for all the wafers W in the carrier.

[0025] In the above description, the case of parallel transfer in which the wafer W is transferred to any one of the processing chambers 110 by the substrate transfer device 150 and another wafer W is transferred to another processing chamber 110 while the wafer W is being processed in that processing chamber 110 has been described, but it is not limited to this. For example, serial transfer in which one wafer W is sequentially transferred to a plurality of processing chambers 110 may also be possible.

[0026] <Example of a substrate transfer device> Next, an example of a substrate transfer device will be described in detail based on FIGS. 2 to 7 in addition to FIG. 1 described above. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view for explaining a transfer unit and a planar motor of the substrate transfer device, FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the driving principle of the planar motor, FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the rotation of a second member with respect to a first member on a base, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state where the transfer unit is retracted, FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state where the transfer unit is extended, and FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state where the transfer unit is extended.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate transfer device 150 includes a planar motor (linear unit) 10 and a transfer unit 20.

[0028] The planar motor (linear unit) 10 linearly drives the transfer unit 20. The planar motor (linear unit) 10 includes a main body 11 formed by the bottom wall 121 of the vacuum transfer chamber 120, a plurality of electromagnetic coils 12 disposed throughout the inside of the main body 11, and a linear drive unit 13 that individually supplies power to the plurality of electromagnetic coils 12 to linearly drive the transfer unit 20. The linear drive unit 13 is controlled by the control unit 160. When a current is supplied to the electromagnetic coil 12, a magnetic field is generated.

[0029] The transfer unit 20 includes two bases 31 and 32, link members 41 and 42, and the above-described end effector 50. The base 31 includes a first member 33 and a columnar second member 34 rotatably provided inside the first member 33. Similarly, the base 32 includes a first member 35 and a columnar second member 36 rotatably provided inside the first member 35. Although three transfer units 20 are depicted in the figure, the number of transfer units 20 may be one or more.

[0030] The bases 31, 32 are configured with a plurality of permanent magnets arranged therein, and move the end effector 50 via the link members 41, 42. Specifically, a plurality of permanent magnets 37 are arranged on the first members 33, 35 of the bases 31, 32, and a plurality of permanent magnets 38 are arranged on the second members 34, 36.

[0031] Then, by setting the direction of the current supplied to the electromagnetic coils 12 of the planar motor (linear unit) 10 such that the magnetic field generated thereby repels the permanent magnets 37, 38, the bases 31, 32 are configured to magnetically levitate from the surface of the main body 11. The bases 31, 32 stop levitating by stopping the current to the electromagnetic coils 12 and are placed on the floor surface of the vacuum transfer chamber 120, that is, on the surface of the main body 11 of the planar motor 10.

[0032] Also, by individually controlling the current supplied from the linear drive unit 13 to the electromagnetic coils 12, the bases 31, 32 can be moved in the X direction, Y direction, or θ direction (rotation) along the surface of the main body 11 of the planar motor 10 in a magnetically levitated state, and their positions can be controlled. Also, the levitation amount can be controlled by controlling the current. Further, by individually controlling the current supplied from the linear drive unit 13 to the electromagnetic coils 12, for example, the second members 34, 36 can be rotated with respect to the first members 33, 35 as in the state of (a) in FIG. 4 to the state of (b).

[0033] The link members 41, 42 are each connected to the second members 34, 36 via the rotation shafts 43, 44, and the link members 41, 42 are configured to rotate as the second members 34, 36 rotate. Thereby, the end effector 50 can be expanded and contracted with respect to the bases 31, 32.

[0034] Figures 2 and 5 show the end effector 50 in a retracted state, where the end effector 50 and the link members 41, 42 are folded so as to overlap on the bases 31, 32. In this state, when viewed in plan, the bases 31, 32 and the link members 41, 42 are included within the area where the wafer W exists on the end effector 50. When the transfer unit 20 moves within the vacuum transfer chamber 120, the end effector 50 is thus set in a retracted state.

[0035] Figures 6 and 7 show the end effector 50 and the link members 41, 42 in a state of extending from the bases 31, 32. When accessing the processing chamber 110, which is the wafer transfer position, by extending the end effector 50 and the link members 41, 42 in this way, it becomes possible to access the end effector 50 into the processing chamber 110 and perform the transfer of the wafer W.

[0036] Next, the operation of the substrate transfer device 150 configured as described above will be explained. In the substrate transfer device 150, the control unit 160 controls the current supplied from the linear drive unit 13 of the planar motor (linear unit) 10 to the electromagnetic coil 12 to generate a magnetic field that repels the permanent magnets 37, 38, thereby magnetically levitating the bases 31, 32. The levitation amount at this time can be controlled by controlling the current.

[0037] In the magnetically levitated state, by individually controlling the current supplied from the linear drive unit 13 to the electromagnetic coil 12, the bases 31, 32 can be moved along the surface of the main body 11 of the planar motor 10 (the floor surface of the vacuum transfer chamber 120), and the wafer W on the end effector 50 can be transferred.

[0038] As described above, the substrate transfer using such a planar motor solves the problems of gas intrusion from the vacuum seal in the technology using a transfer robot and the limitation of the turning and telescopic movement of the transfer robot.

[0039] In particular, due to limitations in the rotation and telescopic movement of the transfer robot, there arises a problem that the installation area of the entire substrate processing system increases, making it difficult to reduce the cleanroom cost. However, such a problem can be alleviated by the transfer technology using a planar motor.

[0040] That is, in the case of a substrate processing system having a plurality of processing chambers, the mounting positions of the processing chambers are restricted by the mounting positions of the transfer robot. Also, the vacuum transfer chamber requires an area necessary for the rotation and telescopic movement of the robot arm, and a plurality of such vacuum transfer chambers are required. For this reason, the installation area of the entire system becomes large. On the other hand, in substrate transfer using a planar motor as in Patent Document 2, the degree of freedom in the mounting position of the processing chamber is high, and the area of the vacuum transfer chamber can be reduced to some extent.

[0041] However, recently, there has been a demand for further reduction in the installation area for a substrate processing system having a plurality of processing chambers.

[0042] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the bases 31, 32 of the transfer unit 20 are configured to include first members 33, 35 and second members 34, 36 that are rotatable with respect to the first members 33, 35, and an end effector 50 is connected to the second members 34, 36 via link members 41, 42.

[0043] Thereby, the current supplied from the linear drive unit 13 to the electromagnetic coil 12 can be individually controlled to rotate the second members 34, 36 with respect to the first members 33, 35, and the end effector 50 can be telescoped via the link members 41, 42.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, when the end effector 50 is retracted, the end effector 50 and the link members 41, 42 can be folded and overlapped on the bases 31, 32. And in this state, when viewed in plan, the bases 31, 32 and the link members 41, 42 are included in the area where the wafer W on the end effector 50 exists, and the exclusive area of the transfer unit 20 can be minimized.

[0045] And, by moving the transfer unit 20 by linear driving within the vacuum transfer chamber 120 in this state to transfer the wafer W, the space in which the transfer unit 20 moves in the vacuum transfer chamber 120 can be reduced. For this reason, the vacuum transfer chamber 120 can be made smaller, and the installation area of the substrate processing system 100 itself can be made smaller.

[0046] When the transfer unit 20 transfers the wafer W to the processing chamber 110 which is the wafer transfer position, the movement of the bases 31, 32 is stopped with the end effector 50 facing the processing chamber 110. Then, by rotating the second members 34, 36 with respect to the first members 33, 35, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the end effector 50 and the link members 41, 42 are extended from the bases 31, 32 to allow the end effector 50 to access the processing chamber 110.

[0047] The extension operation of the end effector 50 at this time will be described with reference to FIG. 8. (a) shows a state where the end effector 50 is retracted. When viewed in plan view, the bases 31, 32 and the link members 41, 42 are included within the region where the wafer W exists on the end effector 50. From this state, the current supplied from the linear drive unit 13 to the electromagnetic coil 12 is individually controlled to move the first members 33, 35 and the second members 34, 36 of the bases 31, 32, and as shown in (b) and further (c), the bases 31, 32 are rotated outward and the end effector 50 is linearly moved. Then, the bases 31, 32 are further rotated to linearly move the end effector 50, and finally, as shown in (d), the end effector 50 and the link members 41, 42 are extended from the bases 31, 32.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 9, a guide member for stably moving the end effector 50 may be provided. In this case, from the state where the end effector 50 in (a) is degenerate, the bases 31 and 32 are rotated outward, and as shown in (b) and further (c), when the bases 31 and 32 are rotated outward to move the end effector 50 straight, the end effector 50 is guided by the guide member 60. Then, the bases 31 and 32 are further rotated to move the end effector 50 straight along the guide member 60, and finally, as shown in (d), the end effector 50 and the link members 41 and 42 are extended from the bases 31 and 32.

[0049] Thus, in the substrate transfer device 150 of the present embodiment, by individually controlling the current supplied from the linear drive unit 13 to the electromagnetic coils 12, the end effector 50 can be easily moved straight only by moving the first members 33 and 35 and the second members 34 and 36 of the bases 31 and 32. Further, since the end effector 50 extends into the processing chamber 110 only when the wafer W is transferred to the processing chamber 110, the extension operation of the end effector 50 does not affect the installation area of the vacuum transfer chamber 120 of the wafer W.

[0050] <Another example of the substrate processing system> FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing another example of the substrate processing system. The substrate processing system 100' of this example is similar to the substrate processing system 100 of FIG. 1 and continuously performs desired processing on a plurality of substrates. Since the basic configuration of the substrate processing system 100' is the same as that of the substrate processing system 100, the same components as those of the substrate processing system 100 are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

[0051] The substrate processing system 100' of this example is different from the substrate processing system 100 in that it has a buffer chamber 170 at a position facing the load lock chamber 130 of the vacuum transfer chamber 120.

[0052] By providing the buffer chamber 170, when there are a plurality of transfer units 20, one of the transfer units 20 can be retracted into the buffer chamber 170, preventing interference between the transfer units 20. The transfer of the wafer W can be performed more smoothly.

[0053] <Other Applications> As described above, the embodiments have been explained. However, the embodiments disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The above embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or changed in various forms without departing from the scope and gist of the appended claims.

[0054] For example, in the above embodiment, as the transfer unit 20 of the substrate transfer device, one having an end effector 50, two bases 31, 32, and link members 41, 42 connecting them is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, a transfer unit 20' having one base 30 and one link member 40 may be used. Also in the transfer unit 20' of FIG. 11, the base 30 has a first member 30a for X-Y movement and a second member 30b for extending and contracting the end effector. Further, a guide member 60 for stably moving the end effector 50 is provided. Also, as shown in FIG. 12, instead of the link members 41, 42, a transfer unit 20″ having articulated link members 45, 46 each having joints 47, 48 may be used. By using the articulated link members 45, 46, a so-called frog leg type expansion and contraction operation can be performed. Also, a link mechanism that displaces in the horizontal direction and a link mechanism that changes in the height direction may be combined.

[0055] Also, although the case where a semiconductor wafer (wafer) is used as the substrate has been shown, the present invention is not limited to semiconductor wafers, and other substrates such as FPD (flat panel display) substrates and ceramic substrates may be used.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0056] 10; Planar Motor 11; Main Body 12; Electromagnetic coil 13; Linear drive unit 20, 20´, 20″; Conveying unit 30, 31, 32; Base 33, 35, 30a; First member 34, 36, 30b; Second member 37, 38; Permanent magnet 41, 42, 45, 46; Link member 50; End effector (substrate holding part) 60; Guide member 100, 100´; Substrate processing system 110; Processing chamber 120; Vacuum conveying chamber 130; Load lock chamber 140; Atmospheric conveying chamber 150; Substrate conveying device 160; Control unit 170; Buffer chamber G, G1, G2; Gate valve W; Semiconductor wafer (substrate)

Claims

1. A substrate transport device that transports a substrate to a substrate transport position, a transport unit including a substrate holder for holding a substrate, two bases having a plurality of magnets therein and for moving the substrate holder, and two link members connecting the substrate holder to the two bases, respectively; a planar motor having a main body, a plurality of electromagnetic coils arranged within the main body, and a linear drive unit that supplies power to the electromagnetic coils and magnetically levitates and linearly drives the base; having Each of the two bases has a first member and a second member rotatably provided within the first member, and the magnet is provided inside the first member and the second member, Each of the two link members is rotatably connected to the second member of the corresponding base and has a joint; A substrate transport device in which the linear drive unit rotates the second member relative to the first member, causing the two link members to perform a frog-leg type extension and retraction movement, and causing the substrate holding member to extend and retract via the link members.

2. The substrate transport device of claim 1 , wherein when the substrate holding portion is retracted, the two bases, the two link members, and the substrate holding portion are stacked vertically, and in that state, the two bases are linearly driven.

3. The substrate transport device of claim 2, wherein when the substrate holding portion is retracted, the two bases and the two link members are configured to be included within an area in which the substrate held by the substrate holding portion is present when viewed in a plane.

4. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport unit further comprises a guide member that guides the substrate holder.

5. 5. The substrate transport device according to claim 1, wherein the transport unit is provided in a transport chamber connected to a processing chamber for processing a substrate, the substrate transport position is the processing chamber, and the main body of the planar motor constitutes a bottom wall of the transport chamber.

6. A substrate transport method for transporting a substrate to a substrate transport position, comprising the steps of: a substrate transport device including a transport unit having a substrate holding part for holding a substrate, two bases having a plurality of magnets therein and for moving the substrate holding part, and two link members respectively connecting the substrate holding part and the two bases, and a planar motor having a main body, a plurality of electromagnetic coils arranged in the main body, and a linear drive part that supplies power to the electromagnetic coils and magnetically levitates and linearly drives the base, wherein each of the two bases has a first member and a second member rotatably provided within the first member, the magnets are provided inside the first member and the second member, the two link members are rotatably connected to the second members of the corresponding bases, and have joints, and the linear drive part is capable of rotating the second member relative to the first member to cause the two link members to perform a frog-leg type extension and retraction movement, retracting the substrate holding portion on which the substrate is held, and linearly driving the two bases in a state in which the two bases, the two link members, and the substrate holding portion are vertically stacked, thereby transporting the substrate; when the substrate is transported to a position corresponding to the substrate transport position, the second member is rotated relative to the first member by the linear drive unit, and the substrate holding unit, which holds the substrate, is extended from the base via the link member to deliver the substrate to the substrate transport position; The substrate transport method includes:

7. The substrate transport method of claim 6, wherein when the substrate holding portion is retracted, the two bases and the two link members are configured to be included within an area in which the substrate held by the substrate holding portion is present when viewed in a plane.

8. 8. The substrate transport method according to claim 6, wherein the transport unit is provided in a transport chamber connected to a processing chamber for processing the substrate, the substrate transport position is the processing chamber, and the main body of the planar motor constitutes a bottom wall of the transport chamber.

9. a processing chamber for performing processing on a substrate; a transfer chamber connected to the processing chamber; a substrate transfer device that transfers the substrate within the transfer chamber and delivers the substrate to the processing chamber; Equipped with The substrate transport device is a transport unit including a substrate holder for holding a substrate, two bases having a plurality of magnets therein and for moving the substrate holder, and two link members connecting the substrate holder to the two bases, respectively; a planar motor having a main body, a plurality of electromagnetic coils arranged within the main body, and a linear drive unit that supplies power to the electromagnetic coils and magnetically levitates and linearly drives the base; having Each of the two bases has a first member and a second member rotatably provided within the first member, and the magnet is provided inside the first member and the second member, Each of the two link members is rotatably connected to the second member of the corresponding base and has a joint; the linear drive unit rotates the second member relative to the first member to cause the two link members to perform a frog-leg type extension and retraction movement, thereby causing the substrate holding member to extend and retract via the link members; Substrate processing system.

10. The substrate processing system of claim 9, wherein when the substrate holding portion is retracted, the two bases, the two link members, and the substrate holding portion are stacked vertically, and in this state, the two bases are linearly driven.

11. The substrate processing system of claim 10, wherein when the substrate holding portion is retracted, the two bases and the two link members are configured to be included within an area in which the substrate held by the substrate holding portion is present when viewed in a plane.

12. The substrate processing system according to claim 9 , wherein the main body of the planar motor constitutes a bottom wall of the transfer chamber.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Conveyor device for transporting at least one wafer

    DE102018006259A1

  • Conveyor arm

    JP1993129418A

  • Conveying module and cluster system

    JP2001002241A

  • Conveying device

    JP2006248628A

  • Conveying device

    JP2010095320A