PCB transfer device and PCB transfer method

Abstract

Provided are a substrate transfer device and a substrate transfer method that make it possible to transport a substrate between processing devices while maintaining the surface of the substrate in a wet state. A substrate transfer device 2 according to one embodiment includes: a carriage accommodating part 210 having an accommodating chamber 211 which receives a substrate conveyance carrier 1 from outside the device and accommodates such carrier, the substrate conveyance carrier having mounted thereon a tank 110 accommodating a plurality of substrates W together with water; and an extraction device 250 that extracts the substrates W from the tank 110 mounted on the substrate conveyance carrier 1 accommodated in the accommodating chamber 211, and delivers the substrates to a cleaning device 3 which is an adjacent treatment device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate delivery device and a substrate delivery method.

Background Art

[0002] In a manufacturing process for manufacturing semiconductors, after polishing the surface of a substrate such as a wafer with a polishing device (CMP device), the slurry composed of the abrasive used for polishing is washed with a washing device. A general washing device is installed adjacent to the polishing device, and the substrate is transported from the polishing device to the washing device by a transport device (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Here, the slurry used in the CMP polishing process as described above remains on the surface of the substrate immediately after washing. This slurry adheres when the surface of the substrate dries, and thereafter, it cannot be removed by the washing device. For this reason, the polishing device and the transport device are arranged adjacent to each other, and the transport device such as a robot transports the substrate with the surface of the substrate wetted with liquid so that the surface of the substrate does not dry.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, due to space and layout constraints in the factory, it may be necessary to place various processing equipment for handling circuit boards at a distance from each other. For example, if polishing equipment and cleaning equipment are placed at a distance from each other, the circuit boards cannot be transported by robots and must be transported by workers. However, as mentioned above, when transporting circuit boards, it is necessary to keep the surface of the circuit board wet. Even if the circuit boards are immersed in a tank of water, a means of transporting the tank to the cleaning equipment, removing the circuit boards from the tank, and loading them into the cleaning equipment is required.

[0006] The embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a substrate transfer device and a substrate transfer method that can transfer substrates between processing devices while maintaining a wet state on the surface of the substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The substrate transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a trolley housing section having a housing chamber for receiving and housing a substrate transport trolley equipped with a tank containing a plurality of substrates together with liquid from the outside, and a removal device for removing the substrates from the tank mounted on the substrate transport trolley housed in the housing chamber and passing them to an adjacent processing device. Furthermore, the trolley housing section has a positioning mechanism for positioning the substrate transport trolley in a fixed position. do. Furthermore, the substrate transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a trolley housing section having a housing chamber for receiving and housing a substrate transport trolley equipped with a tank containing a plurality of substrates together with liquid from the outside, and a removal device for taking out the substrates from the tank mounted on the substrate transport trolley housed in the housing chamber and passing them to an adjacent processing device, wherein the trolley housing section includes a drainage section for discharging liquid from the tank and a liquid supply section for supplying liquid to the tank. Furthermore, the substrate transfer method of the embodiment of the present invention involves housing a substrate transport trolley equipped with a tank containing multiple substrates together with liquid in a storage chamber of a trolley storage unit, and positioning the substrate transport trolley in a fixed position using a positioning mechanism of the aforementioned trolley storage unit. The method is characterized by removing the substrate from the tank mounted on the substrate transport trolley housed in the storage chamber using a removal device, and transferring it to an adjacent processing unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention provide a substrate transfer device and a substrate transfer method that can transport a substrate between processing devices while maintaining a wet state on the substrate surface. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a front perspective view showing the substrate transport trolley and substrate transfer device of the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a rear perspective view showing the substrate transfer device of the embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a front-side perspective view showing a cross-section of a part of the substrate delivery device of the embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a rear-side perspective view showing a cross-section of a part of the substrate delivery device of the embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a plan view showing a state where the substrate transfer cart is housed in the storage chamber. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view seen from the side showing a state where the cassette is housed in the tank. [Figure 7] It is a front-side perspective view (A) and a rear-side perspective view (B) showing the substrate transfer cart. [Figure 8] It is a front-side perspective view (A) and a rear-side perspective view (B) in which a part of the tank of the substrate transfer cart is cut. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view showing the drive coupler. [Figure 10] It is a bottom view (A) and a bottom-side perspective view (B) showing the substrate transfer cart. [Figure 11] It is a front-side perspective view showing the storage chamber in the docking module. [Figure 12] It is a plan view showing the separation mechanism in the storage chamber. [Figure 13] It is a rear-side perspective view in which a part of the drainage part is cut. [Figure 14] It is a front-side perspective view (A) and a rear-side perspective view (B) showing the substrate transfer cart housed in the storage chamber. [Figure 15] It is a front-side perspective view (A) and a rear-side perspective view (B) showing the operation of taking out the substrate by the taking-out device. [Figure 16] It is a rear-side perspective view (A), a side cross-sectional view (B), and a side cross-sectional view (C) showing the spraying state in which a part of the cleaning part is cut. [Figure 17] It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the cleaning part. [Figure 18] It is a front view showing the air blowing part.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Summary] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the carriage 1 for substrate transfer in the embodiment is a carriage for an operator to transfer the substrate W between a polishing apparatus (not shown) and a substrate transfer device 2. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the substrate transfer device 2 in the embodiment is a device for transferring the substrate W from the carriage 1 for substrate transfer to the cleaning device 3. The cleaning device 3 is a device for cleaning the surface of the substrate W polished by the polishing apparatus with a brush while supplying a treatment liquid for cleaning treatment to the surface of the substrate W.

[0011] In the following description, in the substrate transfer device 2, the side where the carriage 1 for substrate transfer is carried in is the front, and the surface on the side of delivering to the cleaning device 3 is the rear. When the operator carries the carriage 1 for substrate transfer into the substrate transfer device 2, the back side is the rear and the front side is the front. In some cases, the front surface is called the front and the rear surface is called the back.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a plurality of substrates W polished in the polishing apparatus are stacked and stored in a box-shaped cassette (FOUP) 4 with a certain gap between them. The cassette 4 has a housing having a space for storing substrates inside, and partitions 41 provided on the inner walls of the housing so as to face each other and supporting the vicinity of the ends of the substrates. The intervals between the plurality of substrates W in the cassette 4 are maintained by the partitions 41. The cassette 4 has a pair of inner walls provided with a pair of opposed partitions 41 and a pair of walls connecting the pair of inner walls and facing the main surfaces of the substrates W stacked and stored, and is opened so that the portions facing the peripheral end surfaces of the stacked substrates W are opened. In addition, the cassette 4 is provided with identification information 42 for identifying each cassette 4. The identification information 42 is, for example, a barcode or a two-dimensional code. Note that the substrate W transported according to the present embodiment is, for example, a semiconductor wafer, but is not limited thereto, and any substrate that needs to be transported in a state immersed in a liquid may be used.

[0013] [Carriage for Substrate Transfer] The substrate transport trolley 1 transports the substrates W contained in the cassette 4 while they are immersed in liquid. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the substrate transport trolley 1 has a tank 110 and a transport section 120. The tank 110 is a container that can hold the substrates W contained in the cassette 4 while they are immersed in liquid and can be removed from the top. The tank 110 is a box with a rectangular parallelepiped shape and an open top. The liquid in which the substrates W are immersed in the tank 110 is, for example, pure water. In the following description, pure water will be simply referred to as water.

[0014] A portion or all of the container constituting the tank 110 is made of a transparent material. Here, "transparent" means that it is transparent enough to allow electromagnetic waves (infrared rays, laser light, etc.) to pass through for reading the identification information 42 of the cassette 4 housed inside the tank 110. If the position of the identification information 42 on the cassette 4 is fixed, then at least the portion corresponding to that position should be transparent. Furthermore, if the position of the identification information 42 is not fixed and an operator needs to confirm its location, it is preferable that the tank 110 be transparent enough to allow visible light to pass through so that the operator can visually see the identification information 42.

[0015] As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the tank 110 has a support section 111, a guide section 112, a direction-defining section 113, a drainage mechanism 114, and a liquid level piping 116. The support section 111 supports the cassette 4 at an angle. The cassette 4 is supported in the tank 110 with the open side facing upwards so that the substrates W can be removed one by one from above.

[0016] As shown in Figure 6, the support section 111 has a support bottom surface 111a, a support back surface 111b, and a support front surface 111c. The support bottom surface 111a is a plate-like body that is inclined so that the front is raised and supports the bottom surface of the cassette 4. The support back surface 111b and the support front surface 111c are a pair of plate-like bodies that are perpendicular to the support bottom surface 111a, inclined so that the upper part tilts backward, and support the cassette 4 by sandwiching it from the front and back. In other words, the cassette 4 is supported by the support bottom surface 111a, the support back surface 111b, and the support front surface 111c in a state where the upper part is tilted backward. If identification information 42 is attached to a predetermined position on the cassette 4, the cassette 4 is housed in the tank 110 so that the identification information 42 faces the support front surface 111c. In this case, by forming a part of the front surface of the tank 110, that is, the position corresponding to the identification information 42, with a transparent material, the identification information 42 can be read and viewed.

[0017] The guide section 112 guides the cassette 4 when it is inserted into the tank 110. As shown in Figure 8(A), the guide section 112 has a guide surface 112a and ribs 112b. The guide surface 112a is a pair of plate-like bodies that rise vertically from the support back surface 111b toward the support front surface 111c. The guide surface 112a guides the cassette 4 left and right when the tank 110 is inserted, and also restricts the left and right movement of the tank 110 supported by the support section 111. The ribs 112b are a pair of rectangular prism-shaped members fixed to the support bottom surface 111a so as to extend in the front-rear direction, and restrict the left and right movement of the cassette 4 by fitting into the groove of the cassette 4.

[0018] The direction-defining section 113 is a pair of prismatic members provided on the support back surface 111b, and has a groove 113a into which a protrusion (not shown) provided on the rear side of the back surface of the cassette 4 is inserted. The direction-defining section 113 prevents the cassette 4 from being inserted incorrectly in the reverse front-to-back direction.

[0019] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the drainage mechanism 114 is a mechanism for draining water from the tank 110. Drainage of water is necessary, for example, when the water in which the substrate W is immersed becomes excessively contaminated with slurry. By draining the contaminated water and refilling it with clean water, the substrate W is immersed in clean water to prevent the slurry from re-adhering. The drainage mechanism 114 includes a pipe 114a, a first valve 114b, a drive coupler 114c, and a second valve 114d. The pipe 114a is connected to a drain port 110a located at the bottom of the front of the tank 110 and branches to the left and right. The branch portion of the pipe 114a to the left when viewed from the front (see Figures 7(A) and 8(A)) extends along the side and back of the tank 110 via the first valve 114b, and its end forms a drain port 114e that points downward.

[0020] The first valve 114b is a valve that is opened and closed by external control. In this embodiment, the first valve 114b is an air-operated on / off valve. The drive coupler 114c is one of the fittings for connecting a drive pneumatic circuit to the first valve 114b, and is connected to the first valve 114b by piping (not shown). The drive coupler 114c is connected to a drive coupler 233, which will be described later (see Figure 9). The second valve 114d is a manual valve that is opened and closed by an operator operating a handle. The second valve 114d is located at the end of the branch portion to the right when viewed from the front of the piping 114a (see Figures 7(A) and 8(A)).

[0021] As shown in Figures 5 and 7(B), the liquid level piping 116 is a pipe that extends vertically from the tank 110, and is connected to the back of the tank 110 so that both ends communicate with the inside of the tank 110. Water from the tank 110 flows into this liquid level piping 116, and the liquid level in it is maintained at the same height as the liquid level inside the tank 110. The liquid level piping 116 is made of a material that allows the detection light of the liquid level sensor 217, which will be described later, to pass through.

[0022] As shown in Figures 7, 8, and 10, the transport section 120 is a mechanism on which the tank 110 is mounted so that an operator can move the tank 110. The transport section 120 has a frame 121, a handle 122, casters 123, a mounting section 124, and a positioning section 125. The frame 121 is a structure that constitutes the outer shape of the substrate transport trolley 1. The frame 121 has vertical frames 121a and horizontal frames 121b to 121e that are assembled to surround the tank 110 in a box shape. The vertical frames 121a are vertical metal columns positioned at the vertices of a rectangle.

[0023] The horizontal frames 121b to 121e are horizontal metal beams fixed so as to span horizontally between each vertical frame 121a. The bottom horizontal frame 121b and the second horizontal frame 121c from the bottom are arranged in a U-shape so that the rear side is open. In other words, the horizontal frames 121b and 121c are provided so as to span between each vertical frame 121a, in addition to the rear side. When the substrate transport trolley 1 is brought into the substrate transfer device 2, the separation mechanism 224, which will be described later, enters below the tank 110 from the rear side, which is open because there are no horizontal frames 121b and 121c. The third horizontal frame 121d from the bottom and the top horizontal frame 121e are arranged in a rectangular shape so as to surround all four sides of the tank 110. The front horizontal frame 121e is attached with identification information 1a for identifying each individual substrate transport trolley 1. The identification information 1a is, for example, a barcode or a two-dimensional code.

[0024] Furthermore, a liquid receiver 120a is provided around the tank 110 on the horizontal frame 121e. The liquid receiver 120a is a horizontal plate-like body provided to surround the top of the tank 110. The liquid receiver 120a receives drips of liquid from the liquid supply section 240. The liquid receiver 120a is provided with a drain port (not shown). The drain port is connected to the piping 114a via a drain pipe 120b (see Figure 7(B)).

[0025] The handle 122 is a component that allows the operator to grip and push or pull the substrate transport trolley 1 to move it. The handle 122 is a U-shaped pipe fixed to connect the upper ends of the two vertical frames 121a on the front side. The casters 123 are transport components provided at the lower ends of the four vertical frames 121a, and have wheels and bearings. The casters 123 on the front side may be swivel type to facilitate direction changes. Furthermore, it is preferable to use casters 123 with dampers to absorb vibrations during transport.

[0026] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the mounting section 124 is the component on which the tank 110 is mounted. The mounting section 124 is a rectangular base plate fixed to the bottom surface of the tank 110. The mounting section 124 is supported so as to be separable from the transport section 120. Specifically, four rectangular support blocks 121f are provided on the left and right horizontal frames 121c, and the lower surface of the mounting section 124 rests on the top surface of the support blocks 121f.

[0027] The mounting section 124 is provided with a vertical pin (not shown in the figure) which is inserted into a hole in the top surface of the support block 121f, thereby preventing horizontal displacement of the mounting section 124. However, when biased from below, the mounting section 124 will move away from the support block 121f and rise. In other words, the mounting section 124 moves up and down by a separation mechanism 224, which will be described later. Also, as shown in Figure 10, the lower surface of the mounting section 124 is provided with three rectangular parallelepiped receiving blocks 124a at the center of the front edge and at both ends of the rear edge. The receiving blocks 124a have holes 124b into which the pins 226a of the base 226 (see Figure 12), which will be described later, are inserted.

[0028] As shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8, the positioning section 125 has a front mounting section 126 and a lateral contact section 127. The front mounting section 126 is located in the center of the front side of the lowest horizontal frame 121b. The front mounting section 126 has a locking plate 126a, a cylinder 126b, and a pedal 126c. The locking plate 126a is a horizontal convex-shaped plate. The cylinder 126b is fixed to the horizontal frame 121b and supports the locking plate 126a so that it can move up and down.

[0029] The pedal 126c is a component that causes the operator's foot to press down on the locking plate 126a. The locking plate 126a is provided to be movable between a locking position in which it is lowered by the pedal 126c and fits into the locking member 222 (described later), and a release position in which it is released from the locking member 222 by the pedal 126c being pushed up. The lateral contact portion 127 is provided along the left and right outer surfaces of the third horizontal frame 121d from the bottom, and is a plate-like body in which the guide roller 223 (described later) makes contact. In front of the lateral contact portion 127, there is an inclined surface that is thin at the tip and becomes thicker towards the rear.

[0030] [Substrate transfer device] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the substrate transfer device 2 houses the substrate transport trolley 1 and is a device that removes the substrates W immersed in water in the tank 110 from the cassette 4 using the removal device 250 and transports them to the washing device 3. The substrate transfer device 2 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 2a. The housing 2a is installed so that its rear is adjacent to the washing device 3. The substrate transfer device 2 has docking modules 20A, 20B and a robot module 21, which are constructed by dividing the housing 2a into three parts. The bottom of the housing 2a is installed with legs 2b such as adjusters so that there is a gap between it and the installation surface, ensuring ventilation to the outside.

[0031] [Docking Module] As shown in Figure 1, the docking modules 20A and 20B are vertically elongated rectangular parallelepiped regions located on the left and right sides of the housing 2a. Doors 2c are provided on the front of the docking modules 20A and 20B, and the entire front side is designed to be openable and closable.

[0032] The left and right docking modules 20A and 20B have the same configuration except for the upper storage space 22, which is a left-right inversion. Therefore, in the following description, unless otherwise distinguished, they will be referred to as docking module 20. Figures 1 and 3 show an example in which a substrate transport trolley 1 is housed in docking module 20A, while Figures 4, 11, 14, and 15 show the interior of docking module 20B, the substrate transport trolley 1 housed inside it, and the extraction device 250 for removing the substrate W from its tank 110, but they are essentially the same. Docking module 20 has a trolley housing section 210, a positioning mechanism 220, a drainage section 230, and a liquid supply section 240 (see Figures 5, 11, 12, 13, and 14).

[0033] (Trolley storage area) As shown in Figures 1, 3, 11, and 14, the trolley housing section 210 is an area having a housing chamber 211 for receiving and housing the substrate transport trolley 1 from the outside. The trolley housing section 210 has vertical frames 212 and horizontal frames 213-216 configured within the housing 2a. The vertical frames 212 are metal columns arranged vertically at the four corners of the docking module 20. The horizontal frames 213-216 are horizontal metal beams fixed so as to span between each of the vertical frames 212. The lowest horizontal frame 213 is arranged in a U-shape along the bottom surface of the housing 2a so that the front side is open. In other words, the horizontal frames 213 are arranged so as to span between each of the vertical frames 212, except for the front side which is the side into which the substrate transport trolley 1 enters.

[0034] The second horizontal frame 214 from the bottom is arranged in a U-shape along the height corresponding to the lateral contact portion 127 of the substrate transport trolley 1, so that the front side is open. In other words, the horizontal frame 214 is arranged to span across each vertical frame 212, except for the front side into which the substrate transport trolley 1 enters. The third horizontal frame 215 from the bottom is arranged in a U-shape along the height of the upper edge of the tank 110 of the substrate transport trolley 1, so that the front side is open. In other words, the horizontal frame 215 is arranged to span across each vertical frame 212, except for the front side into which the substrate transport trolley 1 enters. The top horizontal frame 216 is arranged in a rectangular shape to surround the four sides: front, back, left, and right. The area enclosed by the vertical frames 212 and horizontal frames 213-216 in this way constitutes the storage chamber 211 into which the substrate transport trolley 1 is brought in from the front.

[0035] (Positioning mechanism) The positioning mechanism 220 is a mechanism for positioning the substrate transport trolley 1 in a fixed position. As shown in Figures 5 and 11, the positioning mechanism 220 includes a cushioning member 221, a locking member 222, a guide roller 223, and a separation mechanism 224. The cushioning member 221 is a member that mitigates the impact caused by the loading of the substrate transport trolley 1 and biases the substrate transport trolley 1 forward. The cushioning member 221 is, for example, a pair of shock absorbers fixed to a beam portion 214a that spans left and right in front of the rear horizontal frame 214, with the tips of the rods facing forward.

[0036] The locking member 222 is a member into which the locking plate 126a of the substrate transport trolley 1 fits. The locking member 222 is a rectangular prism-shaped block extending horizontally in the left-right direction, and the front end of the locking plate 126a abuts against it. As shown in Figure 11, the locking member 222 is fixed on a plate that extends vertically downward from the center of the front end of the support plate 225 (described later) and is further bent horizontally.

[0037] The cushioning member 221 biases the rear surface of the cross frame 121d of the substrate transport trolley 1 forward, and the locking plate 126a on the front side is restricted from moving forward by contact with the locking member 222. Therefore, the cushioning member 221 and the locking member 222 function as positioning parts in the front-rear direction.

[0038] Multiple guide rollers 223 are provided on the left and right horizontal frames 214 that extend in the front-rear direction, so as to protrude inward with a vertical axis. The guide rollers 223 rotate in contact with the lateral contact portion 127 of the transported substrate transport trolley 1, thereby guiding the movement of the substrate transport trolley 1. The spacing between the guide rollers 223 provided on the left and right horizontal frames 214 is fixed and equal to the width of the substrate transport trolley 1.

[0039] However, of the multiple guide rollers 223 provided on the left and right horizontal frames 214, the foremost pair of guide rollers 223 are elastically supported by a damper (not shown), and the distance between them is wider than that of the other guide rollers 223. Therefore, even if the transported substrate cart 1 is at an angle or misaligned in the left-right direction, the impact is absorbed by contacting one of the foremost pair of guide rollers 223, and it is guided between the fixed guide rollers 223 at the rear to be positioned in the correct location. Thus, the guide rollers 223 function as positioning parts in the left-right direction. As described above, the substrate transport cart 1 is positioned horizontally by the front-rear positioning parts and the left-right positioning parts.

[0040] The separation mechanism 224 is a mechanism for separating the mounting section 124 together with the tank 110 from the transport section 120. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the separation mechanism 224 has a support plate 225, a base 226, and a cylinder 227. The support plate 225 is a rectangular plate-like body, and its rear end is supported by a beam extending from the horizontal frame 213. The base 226 is a rectangular plate-like body, and is supported so as to be able to move up and down by lifting shafts (not shown) provided at the four corners between it and the support plate 225. Three pins 226a are erected on the upper surface of the base 226. The pins 226a correspond to the holes 124b provided in the receiving block 124a of the mounting section 124. As described above, when the substrate transport trolley 1 is positioned horizontally, the holes 124b of the receiving block 124a (see Figure 10) are directly above the pins 226a.

[0041] The cylinder 227 is provided between the support plate 225 and the base 226 and is a drive source for raising and lowering the base 226. The base 226, raised by the cylinder 227, is pushed up by the pin 226a entering the hole 124b of the receiving block 124a, thereby raising the mounting section 124 in a horizontally positioned position and stopping at a predetermined height. This height is such that the substrate W can be removed from the top of the tank 110 mounted on the mounting section 124 by the removal device 250, which will be described later.

[0042] As a result, the mounting section 124 separates from the transport section 120, but since the pins provided on the mounting section 124 are inserted into the holes in the support block 121f, the mounting section 124 can rise without shifting while being positioned horizontally. In other words, the separation referred to here is not a complete detachment of the mounting section 124 from the transport section 120, but rather a movement within the frame 121 that separates it from the support block 121f and allows it to rise.

[0043] (Drainage section) As shown in Figures 12, 13, and 14(B), the drainage section 230 is a component for draining water from the tank 110. The drainage section 230 includes a drainage duct 231, a drainage pipe 232, and a drive coupler 233. The drainage duct 231 is a box-shaped container located on the rear side of the storage chamber 211 and has an opening at the top. The opening of the drainage duct 231 faces the drain port 114e of the pipe 114a that wraps around to the rear side of the tank 110. One end of the drainage pipe 232 is connected to the drainage duct 231, and the other end extends to the bottom of the robot module 21 and is connected to a drain receiver 280, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 14(B), the drainage section 230 is supported by the rear horizontal frame 213 via a liquid receiver 230a.

[0044] The drive coupler 233 is the other end of a coupling for connecting to the drive coupler 114c of the substrate transport trolley 1. The drive coupler 233 is connected to a pneumatic circuit that supplies driving air (not shown). The drive coupler 233 is fixed to the base 226 so that it is positioned opposite the drive coupler 114c of the positioned substrate transport trolley 1 (see Figure 9). Therefore, when the base 226 is raised by the cylinder 227, the drive coupler 233 is connected to the drive coupler 114c, and the first valve 114b can be opened and closed by the air supplied by the pneumatic circuit.

[0045] (Liquid supply part) The liquid supply unit 240 is a component for supplying water to the tank 110 (see Figure 11). The liquid supply unit 240 is installed on the rear horizontal frame 215 and the beam 215a connecting the left and right horizontal frames 215. The liquid supply unit 240 has a liquid supply pipe 241 and a liquid supply valve (not shown). One end of the liquid supply pipe 241 is connected to a liquid supply device having a pump, tank, etc., and the other end extends to the top of the storage chamber 211 and bends downward toward the top of the tank 110 of the substrate transport trolley 1 housed in the storage chamber 211. The liquid supply valve is connected to a pneumatic circuit (not shown) that supplies driving air and controls the liquid supply by opening and closing the liquid supply pipe 241. As shown in Figures 5 and 11, a liquid level sensor 217 is provided at the back of the storage chamber 211 to detect the liquid level of the water stored in the tank 110 without contact. The liquid level sensor 217 is attached to the beam section 214a and positioned to straddle the liquid level piping 116 of the tank 110 housed in the storage chamber 211. As described above, water from the tank 110 flows into the liquid level piping 116 and maintains the same height as the liquid level in the tank 110. Therefore, the detection light from the liquid level sensor 217 passes through the liquid level piping 116, allowing the liquid level in the piping 116 to be detected, and thus the liquid level in the tank to be detected.

[0046] [Robot Module] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the robot module 21 is a vertically elongated rectangular parallelepiped region located between the docking modules 20A and 20B of the housing 2a. A cover 2d is provided on the front of the robot module 21, closing the entire front side. Within the robot module 21, a region is formed where substrates W removed by the removal device 250 are loaded and unloaded.

[0047] A partition wall 2e is provided between the robot module 21 and the docking modules 20A and 20B. Each partition wall 2e is provided with a window 2f large enough to allow the substrate W to be removed by the removal device 250. This window 2f is provided to be openable and closable by a shutter 2g. On the back of the robot module 21, there is a window 2h large enough to allow the substrate W to be transported to the cleaning device 3 by the removal device 250. This window 2h is provided to be openable and closable by a shutter provided on the cleaning device 3 side. The robot module 21 includes a removal device 250, a cleaning unit 260, and a blower unit 270.

[0048] (Ejecting device) As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 15, the extraction device 250 is a device that extracts substrates W from a tank 110 mounted on a substrate transport trolley 1 housed in a storage chamber 211 and passes them to an adjacent washing device 3. The extraction device 250 in this embodiment is a multi-joint robot and has a plurality of shaft portions 251 that form joints, a plurality of link arms 252 connected by the shaft portions 251, and a gripping portion 253 provided at the tip of the end link arm 252.

[0049] By controlling a motor (not shown) that drives the shaft portion 251, the gripping portion 253 is inserted into the tank 110 at an inclined angle along the substrate W, grips one substrate W, pulls it out of the cassette 4 in the tank 110, and passes it to the washing device 3 on the rear side at a horizontal angle. In other words, the extraction device 250 of this embodiment is a robot that transports substrates W one by one from the tank 110 to the washing device 3.

[0050] The gripping unit 253 is a robot hand that grips the substrate W, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The gripping unit 253 has a plate 253a, a movable claw 253b, and a fixed claw 253c, as shown in Figures 16(A) and (B). The plate 253a is a V-shaped plate with a bifurcated tip. The movable claw 253b is provided at the two ends of the plate 253a, and the fixed claw 253c is provided at the base of the plate 253a. The distance between the movable claw 253b and the fixed claw 253c is variably adjusted by a drive mechanism (not shown). Therefore, the movable claw 253b is provided to move between a gripping position in which it grips the substrate W between itself and the fixed claw 253c, and a release position in which it releases the substrate W away from its edge.

[0051] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the extraction device 250 is mounted on a support base 2j that is horizontally positioned inside the robot module 21, leaving space below it. A drive unit (not shown) for operating the extraction device 250 is located in the space below the support base 2j, and a drain receiver 280 is provided below the drive unit. The drain receiver 280 is connected to the drain pipes 232 of the left and right drain sections 230 and is a container capable of temporarily storing water from the tank 110. The drained liquid from the drain receiver 280 is discharged to the outside through a drain port (not shown) via a drainage channel.

[0052] (Cleaning section) As shown in Figures 16(A), (B), (C) and 17, the cleaning unit 260 is a device for cleaning the gripping unit 253. The cleaning unit 260 has a cleaning container 261 and a liquid supply unit 262. The cleaning container 261 is a box-shaped body with an opening 261a at the top into which the gripping unit 253 can be inserted. As shown in Figures 3 and 17, the cleaning container 261 is fixed to a base 2k which is integrally provided with the support base 2j on the back side of the support base 2j. When the cleaned gripping unit 253 moves out of the cleaning container 261, cleaning liquid falls from the gripping unit 253 onto the base 2k. The base 2k has an enclosure 2l with a raised edge to receive the cleaning liquid that has fallen in this way, and is also provided with a drain port 2m for discharging the fallen cleaning liquid. One end of a drain pipe 2n is connected to the drain port 2m. The other end of the drain pipe 2n extends downward and is connected to the drain receiver 280.

[0053] As shown in Figure 16, the liquid supply unit 262 cleans the gripping portion 253 inserted into the cleaning container 261 by spraying it with a cleaning solution, such as pure water. The liquid supply unit 262 has cleaning solution piping 262a provided on the ceiling side inside the cleaning container 261, and nozzles 262b attached to the piping 262a. The piping 262a is provided in pairs in a horizontal direction parallel to the plate 253a of the gripping portion 253, positioned to sandwich the gripping portion 253 inside the cleaning container 261. The piping 262a is connected to a cleaning solution supply device (not shown) via port 262c in Figure 17. Multiple nozzles 262b are provided along the piping 262a and are arranged in a direction to discharge cleaning solution toward the front and back of the gripping portion 253.

[0054] A drain port 261b is provided on the bottom surface of the washing container 261 opposite to the opening 261a. A drain pipe 261c is connected to the drain port 261b. This drain pipe 261c is connected to a drain pipe 2n from the base portion 2k and merges with it, thereby connecting to the drain receiver 280.

[0055] (Air blower unit) As shown in Figures 4 and 18, the air blower 270 generates a downflow from above the housing chamber 211 and the extraction device 250. The air blower 270 has a blower 271 and a rectifier plate 272. The blower 271 supplies purified air downwards. The blower 271 is a fan filter unit (FFU) installed in the housing space 23 above the robot module 21 in the housing 2a. The fan filter unit has a ULPA filter that purifies the supplied air.

[0056] The rectifier plates 272 direct the air supplied from the blower 271 to the top of the docking modules 20A and 20B, and also generate a downflow into the housing chamber 211. The rectifier plates 272 are a pair of plate-like bodies spaced apart on the left and right sides below the blower 271. The rectifier plates 272 are inclined downwards from the robot module 21 towards the docking modules 20A and 20B, thereby enabling the air from the blower 271 to be sent into the housing chamber 211.

[0057] [Control device] The control device 300 is a computer that controls each part of the board transfer device 2. The control device 300 has a processor that executes programs, a memory that stores various information such as programs and operating conditions, and drive circuits that drive each element. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the control device 300 of this embodiment is mounted in the housing space 22 at the top of the housing 2a.

[0058] The control device 300 is connected to an input device for inputting information and a display device for displaying information. In this embodiment, a display 310 equipped with a touch panel is provided on the lid 2d of the robot module 21 as the input device and display device. The input device also includes a reading device such as a barcode reader for reading the identification information 42 of the cassette 4 and the identification information 1a of the substrate transport trolley 1.

[0059] [Operation] The operation of this embodiment will now be described. Note that a substrate transport method for transporting the substrate W according to the following procedure, and a substrate transfer method for handing over the substrate W to the cleaning device 3, are also aspects of this embodiment.

[0060] (Inserting the cassette) In the polishing apparatus, the substrate W is polished with an abrasive applied to it, then rinsed with water, and placed in a cassette 4 for discharge. At this time, the substrate W is wet with water while the abrasive is still attached to it.

[0061] Meanwhile, the tank 110 of the substrate transport trolley 1 is pre-filled with water to a predetermined level. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the operator immerses the cassette 4 containing the substrates W polished by the polishing device into the tank 110. At this time, the cassette 4 is immersed so that its opening faces the opening of the tank 110. In other words, the cassette 4 is inserted into the tank 110 in a direction such that the top of the cassette 4 becomes an opening from which the substrates W can be removed, and the protruding part on the back enters the groove 113a of the direction regulating part 113 (see Figure 8(A)). When the cassette 4 is immersed in the tank 110 in this way, water enters the cassette 4 because the top and bottom of the cassette 4 are open, and the substrates W are submerged in water.

[0062] The cassette 4 is guided downwards by the left and right guide surfaces 112a on both sides, and by the inclined support rear surface 111b and support front surface 111c on the front and rear surfaces, until its bottom surface is supported and set on the inclined support bottom surface 111a. At this time, the ribs 112b of the support bottom surface 111a (see Figure 8(A)) fit into the grooves of the cassette 4.

[0063] As a result, the cassette 4 is supported diagonally within the tank 110, so that each substrate W within the tank 110 stops in a tilted position that falls behind the partition 41. Therefore, the tilt direction of each substrate W housed in the cassette 4 is constant, and the distance between them is also constant. Consequently, the position of each substrate W when the extraction device 250 extracts it can be kept constant, and the positioning of the gripping part 253 becomes easier. The substrates W are housed in the cassette 4 such that when they are tilted as described above, the surface to be processed faces upwards.

[0064] (Bringing in the trolley for transporting circuit boards) The operator grasps the handle 122 of the substrate transport trolley 1 and moves the casters 123 to transport the substrate W mounted on the substrate transport trolley 1 to the front of the docking module 20A of the substrate transfer device 2. Then, the reader reads the identification information 42 of the cassette 4 and the identification information 1a of the substrate transport trolley 1. For example, the operator can read the identification information 42 and 1a by operating a handheld barcode reader. The identification information 42 and 1a are stored in the control device 300, and the cassette 4 in which the substrate W to be transferred was contained, and the substrate transport trolley 1 to which the cassette 4 was transported are managed. In addition, a blower 270 generates a downflow of clean air from above the storage chamber 211 and the retrieval device 250 inside the housing 2a of the substrate transfer device 2.

[0065] The worker opens the door 2c of the docking module 20A and pushes the substrate transport trolley 1 into the storage chamber 211 of the trolley storage section 210 from between the pair of front guide rollers 223. As the left and right guide rollers 223 come into contact with the lateral contact portion 127 of the substrate transport trolley 1 and rotate, the substrate transport trolley 1 moves inward while being guided from side to side until it comes into contact with the rod of the cushioning member 221 and stops, as shown in Figure 5. In this way, the left and right guide rollers 223 position the substrate transport trolley 1 in the left-right direction.

[0066] As shown in Figure 14(A), when the operator presses down the pedal 126c with their foot, the locking plate 126a engages with the locking member 222, placing it in a locked position. As a result, the substrate transport trolley 1 is pressed against the cushioning member 221, the locking plate 126a lowers, and when the operator releases their hands from the substrate transport trolley 1, the substrate transport trolley 1 is pushed back by the cushioning member 221, and the locking plate 126a engages with the locking member 222, stopping it in place and positioning it in the front-to-back direction.

[0067] As described above, after the substrate transport trolley 1 is positioned horizontally in the front, back, left, and right directions, the operator operates the cylinder 227 by inputting from the touch panel of the display 310, thereby raising the base 226. This causes the pins 226a of the base 226 to enter the holes 124b of the receiving block 124a, pushing up the mounting section 124. The mounting section 124 rises and stops at a fixed position where the substrate W can be removed from the top of the tank 110 by the removal device 250, as shown in Figures 14(A) and (B). This positions the tank 110 in the height direction. At this time, the mounting section 124 separates from the transport section 120, but since the pins of the mounting section 124 are inserted into the holes of the support block 121f, horizontal displacement is prevented.

[0068] Furthermore, as the base 226 rises, the drive coupler 233 fixed to the base 226 also rises and connects to the opposing drive coupler 114c (see Figure 9). This allows the first valve 114b for draining liquid from the tank 110 to be opened and closed by the pneumatic circuit, but the operation of draining and supplying liquid will be described later.

[0069] (Removing the circuit board) As described above, once the tank 110 is positioned in the height direction, the shutter 2g opens as shown in Figure 4, and the gripping part 253 enters the storage chamber 211 through the window 2f by the operation of the link arm 252 of the extraction device 250. As shown in Figure 15, the gripping part 253 is inserted into the tank 110 from the top of the tank 110 along the inclination direction of one of the substrates W. At this time, the gripping part 253 is inserted on the lower side of the inclined substrate W, that is, on the side opposite to the surface to be processed. The fixed claw 253c of the gripping part 253 engages with the upper edge of the substrate W, and the movable claw 253b moves to the gripping position, so that the movable claw 253b engages with the lower edge of the substrate W, and the substrate W is gripped between the fixed claw 253c and the movable claw 253b.

[0070] Then, the circuit board W is removed along with the gripping unit 253 by the movement of the link arm 252 of the extraction device 250. There is no particular limit to which circuit board W is removed first, but for example, it is conceivable to remove them one by one from the support back surface 111b side of the cassette 4. The circuit board W, gripped by the gripping unit 253 and removed from the tank 110, is temporarily placed inside the robot module 21 by the movement of the link arm 252.

[0071] Next, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the shutter provided on the washing device 3 opens, and the movement of the link arm 252 causes the substrate W, which is gripped by the gripping part 253, to be transported to the washing device 3 through the window 2h. The substrate W, gripped by the gripping part 253, is passed to the washing device 3 in a horizontal position. In this way, the substrate W is transported in a wet state by being immediately placed in a horizontal position after being removed from the tank 110 and then passed to the washing device 3.

[0072] (Cleaning the circuit board) In the cleaning apparatus 3, the substrate W gripped by the gripping section 253 of the removal device 250 is placed on a mounting table (not shown). The robot hand of the cleaning apparatus 3 transports the substrate W placed on the mounting table to a chamber inside the cleaning apparatus 3, where the cleaning process is performed. This process is repeated until all the substrate W in the tank 110 have been removed and handed over to the cleaning apparatus 3.

[0073] Subsequently, the cylinder 227 is activated to lower the base 226. As a result, the mounting section 124 descends and is supported by the support block 121f of the transport section 120. As the base 226 descends further, the pin 226a disengages from the hole 124b of the receiving block 124a. At this time, the drive coupler 233 fixed to the base 226 disengages from the drive coupler 114c (see Figure 9).

[0074] Then, the operator pushes up the pedal 126c to release the locking plate 126a from the locking member 222, making the substrate transport trolley 1 movable. The operator grasps the handle 122 and pulls the substrate transport trolley 1 out of the storage chamber 211, moves it out of the docking module 20A, and transports it to the polishing device. The operator also transports the empty cassette 4 back to the polishing device and sets it in the polishing device. Then, the polished substrates W are placed in the cassette 4 in the polishing device. The cassette 4 containing the substrates W is placed in the tank 110 as described above and transported to the substrate transfer device 2 for transfer to the washing device 3.

[0075] Furthermore, while the loading, unloading, and transfer of the substrate W of the substrate transport trolley 1 are being performed in either of the two docking modules 20, the substrate W from the polishing machine can be transported by the other substrate transport trolley 1. After the transfer of the substrate W in one docking module 20 is completed, the substrate transport trolley 1 loaded with the substrate W can be loaded into the storage chamber 211 of the other docking module 20, and the transfer of the substrate W can be performed there. This allows for continuous transfer of the substrate W, improving processing efficiency.

[0076] (Drainage and water supply) As described above, the water in the tank 110 of the substrate transport trolley 1 becomes contaminated with continuous use. Therefore, periodically, or based on the results of inspections of the degree of contamination, the water is drained by the drainage mechanism 114 and the drainage section 230, and clean water is supplied again by the water supply section 240, thereby preventing the slurry from re-adhering to the substrate W.

[0077] The following describes the drainage and water supply operations. Drainage and water supply operations are performed by an operator using the touch panel on the display 310 when the cassette 4 is in the tank 110 but the circuit board W is not housed in the cassette 4. First, as described above, the circuit board transport trolley 1 is housed in the storage chamber 211, the base 226 rises and the drive coupler 233 is connected to the drive coupler 114c (see Figure 9). If it is desired to replace the water in the tank 110, the first valve 114b is opened by the pneumatic circuit. Then, the water in the tank 110 flows out from the drain port 110a into the pipe 114a.

[0078] Water flows through piping 114a extending from the sides and back of tank 110 and falls into drain duct 231 through drain port 114e at the end. The water that falls into drain duct 231 is temporarily stored in drain receiver 280 via drain piping 232. Once draining from tank 110 is complete, the first valve 114b is closed.

[0079] Next, the liquid supply valve of the liquid supply unit 240 is opened, and water is supplied from the top of the tank 110 via the liquid supply pipe 241. When the liquid level sensor 217 detects that the water level in the tank 110 has reached a predetermined height that immerses the circuit board W in the cassette 4, the liquid supply valve is closed to stop the water supply.

[0080] (Cleaning of the gripping part) Furthermore, if the transfer of substrates W by the extraction device 250 is repeated, the cleaning unit 260 cleans the gripping unit 253. For example, this could be done when the number of times the substrates W have been extracted (number of substrates W or cassette units) is counted and a preset number is reached, or when the operator makes an input operation from the touch panel of the display 310 during a period when the operation of transporting substrates W to the cleaning device 3 is not being performed (standby). When cleaning is performed, as shown in Figures 16(A) and (B), the extraction device 250 inserts the gripping unit 253 through the opening 261a at the top of the cleaning container 261. As shown in Figure 16(C), the liquid supply unit 262 performs cleaning by discharging the cleaning liquid supplied to a pair of pipes 262a from the nozzle 262b toward the front and back of the gripping unit 253.

[0081] [effect] (1) The substrate transfer device 2 of this embodiment, as described above, includes a trolley housing section 210 having a housing chamber 211 for receiving and housing a substrate transport trolley 1 equipped with a tank 110 containing a plurality of substrates W together with water from the outside, and a removal device 250 for taking out the substrates W from the tank 110 mounted on the substrate transport trolley 1 housed in the housing chamber 211 and passing them to an adjacent processing device, the washing device 3.

[0082] Therefore, the substrate W, which has been transported from the polishing device in tank 110 along with water, can be removed from tank 110 and passed to the cleaning device 3. Thus, the substrate W can be transported between the polishing device and the cleaning device 3, which are located at different locations, while maintaining a wet surface. As a result, even if the slurry used for polishing adheres to the substrate W, the drying of the substrate W is prevented, thereby suppressing the slurry from sticking to the substrate W, and allowing the cleaning device 3 to remove the slurry from the surface of the substrate W.

[0083] (2) The extraction device 250 extracts the substrates W from the tank 110, which houses the cassette 4 containing multiple substrates W in an inclined state, and passes them to the washing device 3. As a result, the inclination direction of each substrate W housed in the cassette 4 is constant, so the extraction device 250 can maintain a constant position when extracting each substrate W.

[0084] (3) The trolley housing section 210 has a positioning mechanism 220 that positions the substrate transport trolley 1 in a fixed position. As a result, the position of the tank 110 and the substrate W stored therein is fixed, and positioning for removal by the removal device 250 can be performed easily and accurately, and the removal operation is stabilized.

[0085] (4) The positioning mechanism 220 has a separation mechanism 224 that separates the tank 110 from the substrate transport trolley 1 to a position where the substrate W can be removed by the removal device 250. Therefore, even when the distance between the substrate W stored in the tank 110 and the removal device 250 is long when the substrate is stored in the storage chamber 211, separating the tank 110 from the substrate transport trolley 1 shortens the distance between the substrate W stored in the tank 110 and the removal device 250, making it possible to remove the substrate W by the removal device 250.

[0086] (5) The trolley housing section 210 has a drainage section 230 for discharging water from the tank 110 and a liquid supply section 240 for supplying liquid to the tank 110. Therefore, if the water in the tank 110 becomes contaminated, clean water can be supplied after draining, thereby reducing the re-adhesion of slurry to the substrate W.

[0087] (6) The removal device 250 is equipped with a gripping section 253 for gripping the substrate W and a cleaning section 260 for cleaning the gripping section 253. Therefore, by repeatedly removing the substrate W, the slurry adhering to the gripping section 253 can be removed by the cleaning section 260, thereby reducing re-adhesion to the substrate W.

[0088] (7) The device has a blower unit 270 that generates a downflow from above the storage chamber 211 and the extraction device 250. As a result, the downflow can keep the atmosphere around the storage chamber 211 and the extraction device 250 clean.

[0089] (modified version) This embodiment can also be modified as follows. (1) In the above embodiment, two trolley storage sections 210 were provided for the retrieval device 250, but at least one trolley storage section 210 and one retrieval device 250 are sufficient. Also, multiple retrieval devices 250 may be provided. For example, there may be one docking module 20 and one robot module 21, or multiple docking modules 20 and robot modules 21 may be arranged alternately.

[0090] (2) The processing apparatus using the substrate transfer apparatus described above is not limited to polishing apparatus or cleaning apparatus, as long as it is an apparatus that is necessary to transport the substrate W between them in a wet state. Accordingly, the liquid contained in the tank 110 is not limited to pure water.

[0091] [Other embodiments] Although embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments and modifications are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the invention described in the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0092] 1. Cart for transporting circuit boards 1a, 42 Identification Information 2. Substrate transfer device 2a enclosure 2b Legs 2c door 2d lid body 2e Partition wall 2nd floor, 2nd floor window 2g shutter 2j support stand 2k base 2L enclosure 2m drain port 2n drain pipe 3. Washing device 4 cassettes 20, 20A, 20B docking modules 21 Robot Modules 22, 23 Accommodation space 25 Removal device 41 partitions 110 tanks 110a Drain port 111 Support part 111a Support bottom surface 111b Support back 111c Support front 112 Guide section 112a Guide surface 112b Rib 113 Direction determining part 113a Groove 114 Drainage mechanism 114a Piping 114b First valve 114c, 233 drive coupler 114d Second valve 114e Drain port 116 Liquid level piping 120 Conveying section 120a liquid receiver 120b Drain pipe 121 Frame 121a Vertical frame 121b~121e Horizontal frame 121f Support Block 122 Handle 123 Caster 124 Mounting section 124a Receiving block 124b Hole 125 Positioning section 126 Front mounting section 126a Locking plate 126b Cylinder 126c pedals 127 Lateral contact area 210 Trolley storage section 211 Confinement Chamber 212 Vertical frame 213-216 Horizontal frame 214a, 215a Beam section 217 Liquid level sensor 220 Positioning mechanism 221 Cushioning material 222 Locking member 223 Guide roller 224 Separation mechanism 225 Support plate 226 base 226a pin 227 volts 230 Drainage section 230a Liquid receiver 231 Drainage duct 232 Drainage piping 240 Liquid supply section 241 Fluid supply piping 250 Removal device 251 Shaft 252 Link Arm 253 Gripping part 253a Plate 253b Movable claw 253c fixed claw 260 Cleaning section 261 Washing container 261a aperture 261b Drain port 261c Drainage pipe 262 Liquid supply section 262a Piping 262b Nozzle 262c port 270 Air blower 271 Blower 272 Rectifier plate 280 Drainage tray 300 Control device 310 displays

Claims

1. A trolley housing section having a housing chamber for receiving and housing a trolley for transporting substrates, which is equipped with a tank containing multiple substrates together with liquid, A removal device that takes the substrate from the tank mounted on the substrate transport trolley housed in the aforementioned storage chamber and passes it to an adjacent processing device, It has, The trolley housing section is a substrate transfer device having a positioning mechanism for positioning the substrate transport trolley in a fixed position.

2. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the extraction device extracts the substrates from the tank in which a cassette containing a plurality of substrates is housed in an inclined state, and transfers them to the processing device.

3. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism has a separation mechanism that separates the tank from the substrate transport trolley to a position where the substrate can be removed by the removal device.

4. The aforementioned trolley housing section is, A drainage section for discharging liquid from the aforementioned tank, A liquid supply unit that supplies liquid to the tank, A substrate transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The extraction device includes a gripping portion for gripping the substrate, A substrate transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a cleaning unit for cleaning the gripping unit.

6. A substrate transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a blower that generates a downflow from above the storage chamber and the extraction device.

7. A trolley housing section having a housing chamber for receiving and housing a trolley for transporting substrates equipped with a tank containing multiple substrates together with liquid, A removal device that takes the substrate from the tank mounted on the substrate transport trolley housed in the aforementioned storage chamber and passes it to an adjacent processing device, It has, The aforementioned trolley housing section is, A drainage section for discharging liquid from the aforementioned tank, A liquid supply unit that supplies liquid to the tank, A substrate transfer device having the following features.

8. A substrate transport trolley equipped with a tank containing multiple substrates together with liquid is housed in a storage chamber of the trolley storage section, and the substrate transport trolley is positioned in a fixed position by a positioning mechanism of the trolley storage section. A method for transferring substrates, characterized in that the substrate is removed from the tank mounted on the substrate transport trolley housed in the storage chamber by an extraction device and passed to an adjacent processing device.

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