Load port and control method

Abstract

A load port according to the present invention comprises: a placement table on which a container is placed; a port plate; a port door; a substrate detection means which is provided to the port door and which detects a substrate contained in the container; a raising / lowering means which raises and lowers the port door; an advancement / retraction means which advances and retracts the port door in the advancement / retraction direction, which is the horizontal direction; and a displacement means which displaces the substrate detection means in the advancement / retraction direction. The displacement means displaces the substrate detection means in the opposite direction from the port door when the advancement / retraction means is performing an advancement / retraction operation of the port door.

Description

Load port and control method

[0001] The present invention relates to a load port and a control method.

[0002] Containers such as FOUPs for storing substrates such as semiconductor wafers are known. These containers are opened and closed by a load port provided on a substrate transfer device to load and unload substrates. After the door of the container is opened, a sensor detects the presence of substrates in the container to confirm the presence of substrates in the container (Patent Documents 1 and 2). The sensor is sometimes called a mapping sensor. The load port of Patent Document 2 is configured such that the door 22 and mapping sensors m1 and m2 move in the horizontal direction D and the vertical direction H. The mapping sensors m1 and m2 are disposed in positions that do not interfere with the frame 21 when the door 22 is in the fully closed position (C).

[0003] Patent No. 4246420 Patent No. 6455239

[0004] The mapping sensors m1 and m2 in Patent Document 2 are disposed at positions that protrude further from the door portion in a direction away from the container (see FIGS. 20 and 22). When the door portion 22 is moved to the retracted position in a direction away from the container (horizontal direction D) to open the lid of the container, the mapping sensors m1 and m2 also move together with the door portion 22. Extra space is required by the amount of the protrusion of the mapping sensors m1 and m2.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a load port in which the protrusion of a sensor that detects a substrate is suppressed when the port door is in the retracted position.

[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided a load port comprising: a mounting table on which a container for accommodating substrates is placed; a port plate having an opening through which the substrates can be inserted and removed; a port door that can open and close the opening and hold the door portion of the container; substrate detection means that is provided on the port door and detects the substrates accommodated in the container; lifting means that raises and lowers the port door relative to the opening; advancing and retreating means that advances and retreats the port door in an advancing and retreating direction that is a horizontal direction relative to the opening; and displacement means that displaces the substrate detection means in the advancing and retreating direction, wherein the displacement means displaces the substrate detection means in the direction opposite to the port door while the port door is advancing or retreating by the advancing and retreating means.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a load port in which the protrusion of the sensor that detects the substrate is suppressed when the port door is in the retracted position.

[0008] FIG. 5 is an external view of a load port according to an embodiment of the present invention installed in a substrate transport apparatus. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the internal mechanism of the load port and substrate transport apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a forward / backward unit. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a port door and a mapping unit. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a rotation mechanism. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 5. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the mapping unit. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the load port of FIG. 1. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the load port of FIG. 1. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the load port of FIG. 1. FIG. 15 is a timing chart showing changes in the positions of the port door and the mapping sensor.

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0010] <Device Overview> Fig. 1 is an external view of a load port 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the state in which it is installed on a substrate transfer device 100. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the internal mechanisms of the load port 1 and the substrate transfer device 100, and is a schematic cross-sectional view when a container 200 is placed on the load port 1. In each figure, arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions that are orthogonal to each other, and arrow Z indicates the up and down direction.

[0011] The load port 1 is a device for opening and closing a container 200 such as a FOUP. The container 200 has a box-shaped container body 201 having an opening 201a on its side through which a circular substrate W such as a semiconductor wafer is placed in and taken out, and a door part 202 that is detachably attached to the opening 201a and closes the opening 201a, and stores the substrate W. Note that Fig. 2 shows a state in which the door part 202 is removed from the container body 201 by the load port 1, allowing the substrate transport robot 110 to access the substrate W inside the container 200.

[0012] The load port 1 is attached to a substrate transport device 100 that has therein a substrate transport robot 110 that transports substrates W. The substrate transport device 100 has a housing 102 that houses the substrate transport robot 110. The load port 1 is attached to a front wall 102a of the housing 102. In the example of FIG. 1, two load ports 1 are attached to the front wall 102a. The substrate transport robot 110 transports substrates W into and out of a container 200 placed on the load port 1.

[0013] The substrate transport robot 110 includes an end effector 111 that holds the substrate W, an articulated arm 112 that holds the end effector 111 so that it can at least move back and forth, and a drive unit 113 that rotates and raises and lowers the articulated arm 112. The substrate transport robot 110 further includes a traveling unit 114 that moves the substrate transport robot 110 back and forth in the Y direction. As shown by the dashed line in Figure 2, the substrate W is loaded and unloaded by inserting the end effector 111 of the substrate transport robot 110 into a container body 201 having an opening 201a facing the substrate transport device 100.

[0014] The load port 1 includes a mounting table 2 on which a container 200 is placed, a port plate 3, a port door 4, a support 5 that supports the mounting table 2, and a mapping unit 6. The port plate 3 is a plate-shaped wall extending in the Z direction, which covers an opening formed in the front wall 102a and, together with the front wall 102a, separates the external space on the mounting table 2 side from the transport space 101 for substrates W within the substrate transport device 100. In terms of being a partition wall, the port plate 3 can also be considered a member that constitutes part of the front wall 102a. The port plate 3 includes an opening 30 through which the removed door 2 and end effector 111 can pass in the X direction.

[0015] The mounting table 2 includes a dock plate 20 on which the container 200 is placed. The dock plate 20 is provided with a plurality of positioning pins (kinematic pins) that support and position the container 200, an occupancy sensor that detects the presence of the container 200, a locking mechanism that locks the container 200 placed on the dock plate 20 to the dock plate 20, and the like. The mounting table 2 includes a drive mechanism 21 that displaces the dock plate 20 in the X direction.

[0016] The support section 5 is a hollow rectangular parallelepiped body. The support section 5 is provided with a lifting unit 7 that lifts and lowers the port door 4 relative to the opening 30, and an advancing / retracting unit 8 that moves the port door 4 in the advancing / retracting direction (the X direction in this embodiment) relative to the opening 30. In this embodiment, the port door 4 is supported by the advancing / retracting unit 8, and the lifting unit 7 lifts and lowers the port door 4 by lifting and lowering the advancing / retracting unit 8.

[0017] In this embodiment, the lifting unit 7 is a ball screw mechanism. However, other drive mechanisms may be used. The lifting unit 7 includes a ball screw shaft 71, a slider 72, a motor 73 serving as a drive source, and a belt transmission mechanism 74. The ball screw shaft 71 extends in the Z direction and is rotatably supported by the port plate 3. The ball screw shaft 71 is connected to the belt transmission mechanism 74 at its lower end. The slider 72 has an engaging portion that engages with the rail member 32 and is capable of reciprocating in the Z direction by being guided by the rail member 32. The rail member 32 extends in the Z direction and is supported by the port plate 3.

[0018] The belt transmission mechanism 74 includes a driven pulley connected to the ball screw shaft 71, a drive pulley connected to the output shaft of the motor 73, and an endless belt wound around these. The rotational force of the motor 73 is transmitted to the ball screw shaft 71 via the belt transmission mechanism 74, causing the ball screw shaft 71 to rotate. The rotation of the ball screw shaft 71 causes the slider 72 to move up and down.

[0019] The advancing / retracting unit 8 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 in addition to FIG. 2 . FIG. 3 is a plan view of the advancing / retracting unit 8. The advancing / retracting unit 8 is disposed below the mounting table 2 and includes a main body frame 80, a linear guide 81, a pair of moving bodies 82, and a drive mechanism 83. The main body frame 80 includes a pair of side plates 80a spaced apart in the Y direction, an end plate 80b on the port plate 3 side that connects the pair of side plates 80a, and a bottom plate 80c that connects the pair of side plates 80a. The end plate 80b is fixed to the slider 72, and the advancing / retracting unit 8 rises and falls as the slider 72 rises and falls.

[0020] The pair of movable bodies 82 are plate-shaped arm members that extend in the X direction and pass through a pair of slits 31 in the port plate 3. The pair of slits 31 extend in the Z direction. Support portions 41 of the port door 4 are fixed to the X-direction ends of the pair of movable bodies 82. Each movable body 82 is supported by the corresponding side plate 80a via a linear guide 81 and is movable in the X direction. The linear guide 81 includes a rail member 81a fixed to the movable body 82 and a plurality of sliders 81b fixed to the side plate 80a. The plurality of sliders 81b engage with the rail member 81a that extends in the X direction. The rail member 81a is movable back and forth in the X direction by being guided by the sliders 81b.

[0021] The drive mechanism 83 is provided on the bottom plate 80c and is a cam mechanism that moves the pair of moving bodies 82 in the X direction. The drive mechanism 83 includes a motor 84 as a drive source, a rotating shaft 85, an arm member 86, a roller 87, and a cam member 88. The rotating shaft 85 is a shaft member extending in the Z direction, is connected to the output shaft of the motor 84 via a transmission mechanism (e.g., a belt transmission mechanism) not shown, and rotates around the Z axis by the driving force of the motor 84. The arm member 86 is fixed at one end to the rotating shaft 85 and rotates around the rotating shaft 85 as a result of rotation of the rotating shaft 85. A roller 87 that is rotatable around the Z axis is supported at the other end of the arm member 86.

[0022] The cam member 88 is an L-shaped member with one end fixed to one of the pair of movable bodies 82, and a cam hole 89 formed in the other end. The cam hole 89 is an oval opening. A roller 87 is inserted into the cam hole 89, and the circumferential surface of the roller 87 contacts the inner surface of the cam hole 89. By rotating the motor 84, the arm member 86 rotates, and the roller 87 performs a circular motion around the rotation shaft 85. When the roller 87 contacts the inner surface of the cam hole 89, the relative position of the roller 87 and the cam hole 89 in the Y direction changes, moving the movable body 82 in the X direction. This causes the port door 4 to advance and retreat in the X direction.

[0023] The port door 4 and the mapping unit 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 in addition to FIG. 2 . FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the port door 4 and the mapping unit 6. The port door 4 includes a holding portion 40 that holds the door portion 202 and a support portion 41 that supports the holding portion 40. The holding portion 40 is equipped with, for example, a suction mechanism, which allows it to hold the door portion 202 by suction. The holding portion 40 is also provided with an operating mechanism (latch key) that operates the opening and closing of the locking mechanism of the door portion 202, which allows the container body 201 and the door portion 202 to be detached and attached. The support portion 41 includes a main body 41 a and a cover member 41 b, and is a hollow body extending in the Z direction. The main body 41 a is a box-shaped member that is open on the side facing the substrate transport device 100 in the X direction (the side opposite the mounting table 2), and the cover member 41 b is detachably attached to the main body 41 a so as to cover the opening of the main body 41 a. In this embodiment, the cover member 41 b is fixed to the main body 41 a with multiple bolts.

[0024] The mapping unit 6 is a substrate detection mechanism provided on the port door 4, which scans the substrates W in the container body 201 in the Z direction when the port door 4 is lowered. The mapping unit 6 includes a pair of mapping sensors 60 which detect the substrates W accommodated in the container body 201, and a displacement unit 600 which displaces the pair of mapping sensors 60 in the forward / backward direction of the port door 4 (the X direction in this embodiment).

[0025] In this embodiment, the pair of mapping sensors 60 are optical sensors, one of which includes a light-emitting element and the other a light-receiving element. An optical axis 60a in Fig. 4 indicates the optical axis of light traveling from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element. During scanning, the substrate W blocks the optical axis 60a, changing the detection result of the light-receiving element. This makes it possible to measure the presence or absence and position of the substrate W.

[0026] The displacement unit 600 includes a frame 61 that supports the pair of mapping sensors 60, and a rotation mechanism 63 that is provided on the support portion 41 and rotates the frame 61 in the forward / backward direction of the port door 4 (the X direction in this embodiment).

[0027] The frame 61 has a rectangular shape that surrounds the holding portion 40 as a whole and includes a pair of support columns 61a, a beam 61b, and a shaft 61c. The beam 61b is a rod-shaped member extending in a horizontal direction (Y direction in this embodiment) intersecting the forward / backward direction of the port door 4 (X direction in this embodiment). The pair of mapping sensors 60 are supported by the beam 61b at a distance in the Y direction. The shaft 61c is a shaft member extending parallel to the beam 61b and serves as a rotation center for rotation of the frame 61 by the rotation mechanism 63. The pair of support columns 61a are rod-shaped members that are spaced apart from each other in the extension direction of the beam 61b (Y direction in this embodiment) and extend in the Z direction. One end (upper side) of the pair of support columns 61a is connected to the beam 61b, and the other end (lower side) is connected to the shaft 61c.

[0028] The rotation mechanism 63 is a mechanism for rotating the frame 61 around the shaft portion 61c as a rotation center, and in this embodiment, is disposed in the internal space of the support portion 41 formed by the main body 41a and the cover member 41b. Covering the rotation mechanism 63 with the cover member 41b can prevent dust and the like from the rotation mechanism 63 from leaking out to the outside. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the rotation mechanism 63 inside the support portion 41, and shows the state with the cover member 41b removed. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 5.

[0029] The main body 41a of the support portion 41 is provided with a pair of side portions 41a1, 41a2. The pair of side portions 41a1, 41a2 are plate-shaped members that are spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction (the Y direction in this embodiment) and extend in the Z direction. In this embodiment, a hole through which the shaft portion 61c is inserted is formed in the pair of side portions 41a1, 41a2, and bearing portions 41c that support the shaft portion 61c rotatably about the Y axis are formed in the pair of side portions 41a1, 41a2. In other words, the shaft portion 61c is supported rotatably about the Y axis by the bearing portions 41c that are integrally formed with the pair of side portions 41a1, 41a2.

[0030] The rotation mechanism 63 includes a motor 64 serving as a drive source, a cam member 66, and an arm member 67. The rotation mechanism 63 further includes a position detection unit 69. The motor 64 is fixed to the main body 41a via a bracket 65. An output shaft 64a of the motor 64 extends in the Y direction and rotates around the Y axis. The cam member 66 is cylindrical and is an eccentric cam with the output shaft 64a fixed at a position offset from its central axis. The cam member 66 rotates when driven by the motor 64. The rotation mechanism 63 is supported by the support portion 41 with the motor 64 fixed to the main body 41a via the bracket 65. The support portion 41 defines a space in which the rotation mechanism 63 is disposed, by the main body 41a, a pair of side portions 41a1 and 41a2, and a cover member 41b.

[0031] In addition, the member that rotatably supports the shaft portion 61c is not limited to the bearing portion 41c formed integrally with the pair of side portions 41a1, 41a2, but may be provided in the space in which the rotation mechanism 63 is arranged as a separate member from the pair of side portions 41a1, 41a2.

[0032] The arm member 67 has the shaft portion 61c fixed to one end (upper end) thereof and is a member extending radially from the shaft portion 61c. A cam hole 67a is formed in the other end (lower end) of the arm member 67. The cam hole 67a is an opening with an oval cross section, and the circumferential surface of the cam member 66 contacts its inner surface. When the cam member 66 is rotated by the drive of the motor 64, the relative position of the cam member 66 and the cam hole 67a changes, causing the shaft portion 61c to rotate. As a result, the frame 61 rotates around the shaft portion 61c.

[0033] In this embodiment, the frame 61 is rotated to three positions, for example. Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the relative positions of the mapping sensor 60 in the X direction with respect to the port door 4. Position P1 is the position closest to the transfer space 101, position P3 is the position closest to the external space (the position closest to the container 200), and position P2 is a position between positions P1 and P3.

[0034] Position P2 is a reference position for determining the tilt angles of positions P1 and P3, and the tilt angle of the support column 61a in the X direction can be considered to be 0 degrees. In other words, the support column 61a at position P2 is the starting line for determining the tilt angles of positions P1 and P3. In this embodiment, position P2 is a standby position where the support column 61a is in a vertical position facing the Z direction and has a tilt angle of 0 degrees. The mapping sensor 60 is located above the holder 40 of the port door 4.

[0035] Position P3 is a scanning position where the support column 61a is inclined more toward the external space (toward the container 200) than position P2, with the inclination angle being +α degrees. The positive and negative inclination angles are defined as those toward the external space and those toward the transfer space 101. One end (upper end) of the support column 61a is located toward the external space (toward the container 200), and the mapping sensor 60 is located closer to the external space (toward the container 200) than the holder 40 of the port door 4.

[0036] Position P1 is a retracted position where the support column 61a is inclined more toward the transfer space 101 than position P2, with the inclination angle being −β degrees. One end (upper end) of the support column 61a is located on the transfer space 101 side, and the mapping sensor 60 is located closer to the transfer space 101 than the holding portion 40 of the port door 4. In the case of this embodiment, for example, there is a relationship of α>β.

[0037] Referring again to FIGS. 5 and 6 , the position of the frame 61 is detected by a position detection unit 69. The position detection unit 69 is built into the support portion 41 together with the rotation mechanism 63. In this embodiment, the position detection unit 69 includes multiple optical sensors 691-693 arranged in the X direction. The optical sensors 691-693 are photointerrupters. A detection piece 68 is fixed to the other end (lower end) of the arm member 67. The position of the detection piece 68 in the X direction changes in response to the rotation of the arm member 67, i.e., the rotation of the frame 61. The optical sensors 691-693 arranged in the X direction detect the detection piece 68 at different positions in the X direction. Therefore, the position of the frame 61 can be identified from the detection result of the detection piece 68. In this embodiment, three positions P1-P3 of the frame 61 shown in FIG. 7 are detected. For this reason, three optical sensors 691-693 are provided. The configuration of the position detection unit 69 is an example, and the number, arrangement, and type of sensors can be designed as appropriate.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 2 , the load port 1 is provided with a control unit 10. The control unit 10 is an electronic circuit that controls the load port 1. The control unit 10 includes, for example, a processing unit represented by a CPU, storage units such as RAM and ROM, an input / output interface between an external device and the processing unit, and a communication interface that communicates with a computer such as a host computer and peripheral devices (such as the substrate transport robot 110) via a communication line. The control unit 10 acquires, for example, the detection results of various sensors and controls various drive sources. The various sensors include, for example, the mapping sensor 60, optical sensors 691 to 693, an occupancy sensor on the dock plate 20, sensors provided on the lifting unit 7, and sensors provided on the advancing / retreating unit 8. The various drive sources include the motors 64, 73, and 84, the drive sources of the drive mechanism 21, and the drive source of the holder 40.

[0039] <Control Example> An example of control of the load port 1 by the control unit 10 will be described. Figures 8 to 11 show an example of the operation of the load port 1 under the control of the control unit 10, and in particular show an example of control of the advancing and retreating movement of the port door 4 and the displacement movement of the mapping sensor 60 in a series of operations from loading the container 200, opening the container 200, detecting the substrate W, and closing the container 200. Figure 12 is a timing chart showing the transition of the positions of the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 in the series of operations shown in Figures 8 to 11.

[0040] 12, positions P1 to P3 of the mapping sensor 60 correspond to positions P1 to P3 shown in FIG. 7. Positions Pf and Pb of the port door 4 indicate the X-direction position of the port door 4, with position Pf being the advanced position on the container 200 side and position Pb being the retracted position on the transfer space 101 side. Positions Pu, Ps, Pe, and Pd of the port door 4 indicate the Z-direction position of the port door 4. Position Pu is the attachment / detachment position where the holder 40 is at the same height as the container 200 and the opening 30, and is the upper limit position of the port door 4. Position Pd is the standby position where the holder 40 is lower than the container 200 and the opening 30, and is the lower limit position of the port door 4. Position Ps is the detection start position where detection of the substrate W by the mapping sensor 60 begins, and is lower than the attachment / detachment position Pu and higher than the standby position Pd. Position Pe is the detection end position where detection of the substrate W by the mapping sensor 60 ends, and is lower than the detection start position Ps and higher than the standby position Pd.

[0041] See Figure 8. State ST1 shows the stage before the container 200 is loaded onto the mounting table 200. The dock plate 20 is positioned away from the port plate 3. The port door 4 is in the attachment / detachment position Pu and the forward position Pf. The opening 30 is closed by the holding portion 40. The mapping sensor 60 is positioned in the retracted position P1. In the retracted position P1, the mapping sensor 60 faces the port plate 3 above the opening 30. By positioning the mapping sensor 60 in the retracted position P1, interference between the mapping sensor 60 and the port plate 3 is avoided.

[0042] State ST2 shows the stage where the container 200 is placed on the dock plate 20 of the mounting table 200. The positions of the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 are the same as in state ST1. State ST3 shows the stage where the dock plate 20 has advanced relative to the port plate 3, and the door portion 202 of the container 200 is connected to the holder 40 of the port door 4. The positions of the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 are the same as in state ST1. The holder 40 holds the door portion 202 from the side of the transport space 101, and the door portion 202 is unlocked from the container 200.

[0043] 9 and 12 . State ST4 shows the stage in which the door portion 202 is separated from the container body 201 of the container 200, opening the container 200. The advancing / retracting unit 8 retracts the port door 4 from the advanced position Pf to the retracted position Pb. During the retraction of the port door 4, the rotation mechanism 63 displaces the mapping sensor 60 in the opposite direction, advancing it from the retracted position P1 to the standby position P2. As the port door 4 retracts, the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 move toward the transfer space 101. However, by advancing the mapping sensor 60 from the retracted position P1 to the standby position P2, the amount of intrusion of the mapping sensor 60 into the transfer space 101 is reduced, thereby ensuring a larger movement space for the substrate transfer robot 110. Therefore, when the port door 4 is in the retracted position, protrusion of the mapping sensor 60 and the frame 61 can be suppressed, thereby reducing the impact of the mapping unit 6 on the transfer space 101. Furthermore, by advancing the mapping sensor 60 from the retracted position P1 to the standby position P2 during the retraction of the holding unit 4, the amount of operation required to displace the mapping sensor 60 to the scanning position P3, which will be described later, is reduced. Compared to displacing the mapping sensor 60 from the retracted position P1 to the scanning position P3 after the retraction of the holding unit 4 is completed, the operation time required to displace the mapping sensor 60 to the scanning position P3 is reduced, and therefore the cycle time required for mapping can be reduced.

[0044] State ST5 shows a stage in which the lifting unit 7 has lowered the port door 4 from the attachment / detachment position Pu to the detection start position Ps. During the descent, the mapping sensor 60 is maintained at the standby position P2. When the port door 4 is located at the inspection start position Ps, the mapping sensor 60 is located at the height of the opening 30 in the vertical direction (more specifically, below the height of the upper end of the opening 30). State ST6 shows a stage in which the mapping sensor 60 has been displaced from the standby position P2 to the scanning position P3 by the rotation mechanism. The mapping sensor 60 enters the container 200 (container body 201) through the opening 30. At this time, the optical axis 60a ( FIG. 4 ) is located in a position in the container 200 where it can detect the substrates W contained in the container 200.

[0045] 10 and 12 . State ST7 shows a stage in which the port door 4 is lowered by the lifting unit 7 from the detection start position Ps to the detection end position Pe. During the lowering, the mapping sensor 60 detects the substrate W from the transport space 101 side, and the detection result and the detection position are stored in the memory unit of the control unit 10. State ST8 shows a stage in which the mapping sensor 60 is displaced from the scanning position P3 to the standby position P2 by the rotation mechanism 63. By returning the mapping sensor 60 from the scanning position P3 to the standby position P2, interference between the container body 201 and the edge of the opening 30 and the mapping sensor 60 is avoided. State ST9 shows a stage in which the port door 4 is lowered by the lifting unit 7 from the detection end position Pe to the standby position Pd. The mapping sensor 60 is positioned at the standby position P2. Thereafter, the substrate W is removed by the substrate transport robot 110, the substrate W is processed by a processing device (not shown), and the processed substrate W is stored in the container body 201.

[0046] Please refer to Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 shows the operation of attaching the door part 202 to the container body 201 and closing the container 200, and the operation starts when the positions of the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 are in the state ST9 in Figure 10.

[0047] State ST10 shows the stage in which the lifting unit 7 lifts the port door 4 from the standby position Pd to the attachment / detachment position Pu. During the lifting, the mapping sensor 60 is maintained at the standby position P2. State ST11 shows the stage in which the door section 202 is attached to the container body 201 of the container 200 to close the container 200. The advancing / retracting unit 8 advances the port door 4 from the retracted position Pb to the advanced position Pf. During the forward movement of the port door 4, the rotation mechanism 63 displaces the mapping sensor 60 in the opposite direction, retracting it from the standby position P2 to the retracted position P1. As the port door 4 advances, the port door 4 and the mapping sensor 60 move toward the external space (the container 200 side). However, by retracting the mapping sensor 60 from the standby position P2 to the retracted position P1, it is possible to prevent the mapping sensor 60 from interfering with the port plate 3 above the opening 30.

[0048] Thereafter, the door portion 202 is locked to the container body 201 by the holding portion 40, and the holding of the door portion 202 is released. This completes the series of operations.

[0049] As described above, in this embodiment, while the advancing / retracting unit 8 is moving the port door 4 forward or backward, the mapping sensor 60 is displaced in the X direction opposite to the port door 4, thereby reducing the amount of intrusion of the mapping sensor 60 into the transport space 101 and preventing interference between the mapping sensor 60 and the port plate 3. Therefore, it is possible to provide a load port 1 that has little effect on the transport space 101 of the substrate transport device 100 and has improved protection performance for the mapping sensor 60.

[0050] In this embodiment, the displacement unit 600, which displaces the pair of mapping sensors 60 in the forward and backward directions, is provided on the support portion 41 that supports the holder 40 of the port door 4. By providing the displacement unit 600 on the support portion 41, the load port 1 can be prevented from becoming larger. Furthermore, by arranging the rotation mechanism 63 in the internal space of the support portion 41, the displacement unit 600 can be made smaller, thereby reducing the area occupied by the mapping unit 6. The lifting unit 7 lifts and lowers the mapping unit 6 together with the port door 4, but by reducing the size of the displacement unit 600 (particularly by reducing the downward protrusion of the port door 4), the amount of movement of the slider 72 required to open and close the container 200 is reduced. Therefore, the lifting unit 7 can be made smaller.

[0051] Although the embodiments of the invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

Claims

1. A loading port, comprising: a mounting table on which a container for housing a substrate is placed; a port plate having an opening through which the substrate can be inserted and removed; a port door that opens and closes the opening and can hold a door portion of the container; substrate detection means provided on the port door for detecting the substrate housed in the container; lifting means for lifting and lowering the port door with respect to the opening; advancing and retracting means for advancing and retracting the port door in the advancing and retracting direction, which is a horizontal direction, with respect to the opening; and displacement means for displacing the substrate detection means in the advancing and retracting direction, wherein the displacement means displaces the substrate detection means in a direction opposite to that of the port door during the advancing and retracting operation of the port door by the advancing and retracting means.

2. The loading port according to claim 1, wherein the port plate partitions an external space on the side of the mounting table and a substrate transfer space, the port door holds the door portion of the container from the side of the transfer space, and the substrate detection means detects the substrate housed in the container from the side of the transfer space.

3. The loading port according to claim 2, wherein the advancing and retracting means retracts the port door from a forward position on the side of the external space to a backward position on the side of the transfer space when separating the door portion from the container, and advances the port door from the backward position to the forward position when attaching the door portion to the container. The displacement means displaces the substrate detection means to a first position during the forward movement of the port door from the backward position to the forward position, and displaces the substrate detection means to a second position during the backward movement of the port door from the forward position to the backward position. In the relative position of the substrate detection means with respect to the port door, the second position is a position closer to the external space than the first position.

4. The loading port according to claim 3, wherein the displacement means displaces the substrate detection means to a third position closer to the external space than the second position when the substrate detection means is at the height of the opening.

5. The load port according to claim 4, wherein the third position is the position where the substrate detection means enters the opening, and the load port is characterized by this.

6. The load port according to claim 3, wherein the substrate detection means is disposed at a position higher than the port door, and the first position and the second position are positions where the substrate detection means faces the port plate above the opening, and the load port is characterized by this.

7. The load port according to claim 4, wherein the port door includes a holding portion that holds the door portion and a supporting portion that supports the holding portion, the elevating means elevates the supporting portion, the advancing and retreating means advances and retreats the supporting portion, and the displacement means includes a frame that supports the substrate detection means, a rotation mechanism provided on the supporting portion that rotates the frame in the advancing and retreating direction, and position detection means that detects the position of the frame, and the load port is characterized by this.

8. The load port according to claim 7, wherein the frame has a beam portion extending in a horizontal direction intersecting the advancing and retreating direction, a shaft portion extending in the horizontal direction and passing through the supporting portion, and a pair of support portions spaced apart from each other in the extending direction of the beam portion, with one end side connected to the beam portion and the other end side connected to the shaft portion, the substrate detection means is supported by the beam portion, the rotation mechanism rotates the frame in the advancing and retreating direction with the shaft portion as the rotation center, in the first position, the pair of support portions is in a first inclined posture inclined such that one end side is located on the side of the transfer space, and in the third position, the pair of support portions is in a second inclined posture inclined such that one end side is located on the side of the external space, and the load port is characterized by this.

9. The load port according to claim 8, wherein in the second position, the pair of support portions is in a vertical posture, and the load port is characterized by this.

10. The load port according to claim 8, wherein the rotation mechanism includes a drive source, a cam member rotated by the drive source, and an arm member fixed to the shaft portion and extending in the radial direction of the shaft portion, an opening having an inner surface in contact with the cam member is formed in the arm member, and the rotation of the cam member causes the arm member to rotate about the shaft portion as a rotation center. A load port characterized by the above.

11. The load port according to claim 10, further comprising a detection piece provided on the arm member and detected by the position detection means, wherein the position detection means includes a plurality of sensors arranged to detect the detection piece at different positions. A load port characterized by the above.

12. The load port according to claim 1, wherein the lifting means has a first drive source, the advancing and retracting means has a second drive source, the displacement means has a third drive source, the load port includes a control means for controlling the first drive source, the second drive source, and the third drive source, and the control means controls the advancing and retracting operation of the port door and the displacement operation of the substrate detection means. A load port characterized by the above.

13. A mounting table on which a container for accommodating a substrate is placed, a port plate having an opening through which the substrate can be taken in and out, a port door for opening and closing the opening and holding a door portion of the container, substrate detection means provided on the port door for detecting the substrate accommodated in the container, lifting means for lifting the port door with respect to the opening, advancing and retracting means for advancing and retracting the port door in the advancing and retracting direction which is a horizontal direction with respect to the opening, and displacement means for displacing the substrate detection means in the advancing and retracting direction, the port door includes a holding portion for holding the door portion and a support portion for supporting the holding portion, the advancing and retracting means includes a moving body that supports the support portion and moves in the advancing and retracting direction, and the displacement means is provided on the support portion. A load port characterized by the above.

14. The load port according to claim 13, wherein the advancing and retreating means is disposed below the placement table, and the displacement means includes a frame that supports the substrate detection means and a rotation mechanism that rotates the frame in the advancing and retreating direction. A load port characterized by the above.

15. The load port according to claim 14, wherein the support portion includes a box-shaped main body having an opening on the side opposite to the placement table and a cover member that covers the opening of the main body, and the rotation mechanism is formed by the main body and the cover member. It is arranged in the internal space of the support portion. A load port characterized by the above.

16. The load port according to claim 14, wherein the frame includes a beam portion that extends in a horizontal direction intersecting the advancing and retreating direction and supports the substrate detection means, a shaft portion that extends in the horizontal direction and passes through the support portion, and the beam portion. A pair of support portions that are spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, with one end connected to the beam portion and the other end connected to the shaft portion. The rotation mechanism includes a drive source, a cam member that rotates by the drive source, and is fixed to the shaft portion and extends in the radial direction of the shaft portion. An arm member, an opening having an inner surface in contact with the cam member is formed in the arm member, and the rotation of the cam member causes the arm member to rotate about the shaft portion as a rotation center. A load port characterized by the above.

17. A control method for a load port, comprising a placement table on which a container for accommodating a substrate is placed, a port plate having an opening through which the substrate can be taken in and out, a port door that opens and closes the opening and can hold a door portion of the container, and a substrate detection means provided on the port door for detecting the substrate accommodated in the container. The method includes a lifting step of lifting and lowering the port door with respect to the opening, a advancing and retreating step of advancing and retreating the port door in the advancing and retreating direction which is a horizontal direction with respect to the opening, and a displacement step of displacing the substrate detection means in the advancing and retreating direction. In the displacement step, the substrate detection means is displaced in a direction opposite to the port door during the advancing and retreating operation of the port door in the advancing and retreating step. A control method characterized by the above.

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