Substrate transport device

Abstract

This substrate transport device is provided with a housing forming a transport space in which a substrate is transported, a partition part disposed in the housing and partitioning the transport space into a first space and a second space, a first blowing means for removing impurities from gas sucked from the outside of the housing and discharging the gas downward toward the second space, and a second blowing means for removing impurities from gas sucked from the inside of the second space and discharging the gas downward toward the first space. The first blowing means is disposed above the second space. The second blowing means is disposed below the second space and between the first space and the second space.

Description

Substrate transfer apparatus

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate transfer apparatus.

[0002] There has been known an apparatus that transfers a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer between a container that accommodates the substrate and a processing apparatus that performs processing on the substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 3878441

[0004] It is undesirable for particles to adhere to a substrate in the transfer space of the substrate. Adjustment of the airflow and air pressure in the transfer space is desired.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate transfer apparatus capable of adjusting the airflow and air pressure in the transfer space.

[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided: a housing that forms a transfer space in which a substrate is transferred; a partition portion that is disposed inside the housing and divides the transfer space into a first space and a second space; a first air blowing unit that removes impurities from gas sucked from outside the housing and discharges the gas downward toward the second space; and a second air blowing unit that removes impurities from gas sucked from inside the second space and discharges the gas downward toward the first space, wherein the first air blowing unit is disposed above the second space, and the second air blowing unit is disposed below the second space and between the first space and the second space. There is provided a substrate transfer apparatus characterized by the above.

[0007] According to the present invention, a substrate transfer apparatus capable of adjusting airflow and air pressure in the transfer space can be provided.

[0008] External view of the substrate processing system. Front view of a substrate transport device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Rear view of the substrate transport device in Figure 2. Explanatory diagram of the internal structure of the substrate transport device in Figure 2. Cross-sectional view along line A-A in Figure 4. Partially enlarged view of Figure 5. Cross-sectional view along line B-B in Figure 5. Explanatory diagram of the relay unit. Explanatory diagram of the sensor. Explanatory diagram of the transport space and air blowing mode inside the substrate transport device in Figure 2. Explanatory diagram of the operation of the substrate transport device in Figure 2. Explanatory diagram of the loading port and the unloading operation of substrates in the container. Explanatory diagram of the operation of the substrate transport device in Figure 2. Explanatory diagram of the operation of the substrate transport device in Figure 2. Explanatory diagram of the operation of the substrate transport device in Figure 2. Explanatory diagram of the loading operation of substrates into the processing device. Diagram showing another example of the transport unit configuration. Diagram showing another example of the substrate processing system configuration.

[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features from the multiple features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, identical or similar configurations will be given the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] <First Embodiment> (Substrate Processing System) Figure 1 is an external view of a substrate processing system 1 using a substrate transport device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In each figure, arrows X and Y indicate mutually orthogonal horizontal directions, and arrow Z indicates the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the X direction is the depth direction (front-to-back direction) of the substrate transport device 10, and the Y direction is the width direction (left-to-right direction) of the substrate transport device 10.

[0011] The substrate processing system 1 comprises a plurality of load ports 2A to 2D arranged in the Y direction, a processing unit 3, and a substrate transport device 10 positioned between the plurality of load ports 2A to 2D and the processing unit 3 in the X direction. In this embodiment, four load ports 2A to 2D are provided, but the number of load ports may be two, three, or five or more.

[0012] Load ports 2A to 2D are devices for opening and closing containers such as FOUPs. Substrates W such as semiconductor wafers (see Figures 9, 12, etc.) are contained in the containers. Processing device 3 is a device for processing the substrates W contained in the containers, for example, a polishing device. Substrate transport device 10 transports the substrates W between the containers and the processing device 3.

[0013] (Substrate Transfer Device) Refer to Figures 2 to 4 in addition to Figure 1. Figure 2 is a front view of the substrate transfer device 10 (viewed from the side of the load ports 2A to 2D), and Figure 3 is a rear view of the substrate transfer device 10 (viewed from the side of the processing device 3). Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the internal structure of the substrate transfer device 10.

[0014] The substrate transport device 10 includes a housing 100 that forms the outer wall of the substrate transport device 10. The housing 100 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole and includes a front wall portion 101, a rear wall portion 102 facing the front wall portion 101, left and right side wall portions 103 and 104, and an upper wall portion 105.

[0015] Rectangular openings 101a to 101d corresponding to load ports 2A to 2D are formed in the front wall portion 101 (Figure 2). Load ports 2A to 2D are attached to the front wall portion 101 so as to close the corresponding openings 101a to 101d. Substrates W contained in containers on the load ports 2A to 2D are transported into the substrate transport device 10 through the corresponding openings 101a to 101d, and also transported from the substrate transport device 10 into containers.

[0016] An opening 102a corresponding to the processing apparatus 3 is formed in the rear wall portion 102 (Figure 3). The substrate W to be processed is transported from the substrate transport device 10 to the processing apparatus 3 through the opening 102a, and also transported from the processing apparatus 3 to the substrate transport device 10.

[0017] The upper edge of openings 101a to 101d is at position Z1 in the Z direction, and the lower edge of opening 102a is at position Z2 in the Z direction. In this embodiment, the relationship Z1 < Z2 holds, and opening 102a is formed at a higher position than openings 101a to 101d. In order to transport the substrate W between the container on the load ports 2A to 2D and the processing apparatus 3, it is necessary to move the substrate W up and down in the Z direction.

[0018] To transport the substrate W to openings 101a to 101d and opening 102a, which are located at different positions in the Z direction, the housing 100 is provided with a lower transport unit 120 and an upper transport unit 130. The transport unit 120 loads and unloads the substrate W into and out of containers on the load ports 2A to 2D, and the transport unit 130 loads and unloads the substrate W into and out of the processing unit 3. By transporting the substrate W between the transport unit 120 and the transport unit 130, the substrate W is transported between the containers on the load ports 2A to 2D and the processing unit 3. This accommodates the height difference between the transport height of the substrate W relative to the containers and the transport height of the substrate W relative to the processing unit 3, and prevents a decrease in throughput related to the transport of the substrate W.

[0019] In addition to Figure 4, the configuration of the transport unit 120 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a partially enlarged view of Figure 4 and is an explanatory diagram of the transport unit 120.

[0020] The transport unit 120 comprises a transport robot 121 and a movement unit 124 that moves the transport robot 121 in the Y direction. The transport robot 121 is a SCARA robot equipped with a horizontal articulated arm 122. The transport robot 121 in this embodiment is a double-arm robot and is equipped with two sets of independently driven arms 122. The tip of each arm 122 is provided with a hand portion for holding a substrate W, and the substrate W is transported horizontally by extending and retracting the arms 122. The transport robot 121 is equipped with a swivel / lifting unit 123 that constitutes its main body. The swivel / lifting unit 123 performs swivel of the arm 122 around the Z axis and lifts and lowers the arm 122.

[0021] The mobile unit 124 includes a rail 1241 extending in the Y direction from the bottom of the housing 100, and a plurality of sliders 1242 that engage with the rail 1241 and are movable in the Y direction guided by the rail 1241. Two sets of rail 1241 and plurality of sliders 1242 are provided spaced apart in the X direction. Brackets 1243 are fixed to the plurality of sliders 1242 in each set. The transport robot 121 is fixed to two brackets 1243 so as to be positioned between the two brackets 1243 that are spaced apart in the X direction. Therefore, the transport robot 121 is movable in the Y direction along the rail 1241.

[0022] The moving unit 124 is equipped with a ball screw mechanism. Specifically, the moving unit 124 includes a ball screw shaft 1244 extending in the Y direction parallel to the rail 1241, and a ball nut 1245 that screws onto the ball screw shaft 1244. The ball nut 1245 is rotatably supported about the Y axis by the drive transmission unit 1247. The drive transmission unit 1247 is equipped with a mechanism (for example, a belt drive mechanism) that transmits the driving force of the motor 1246, which is the drive source, to the ball nut 1245. The drive transmission unit 1247 is fixed to one of the two brackets 1243.

[0023] When the motor 1246 is driven to rotate the ball nut 1245, the transport robot 121 moves in the Y direction. The transport robot 121 can be moved to a position in the Y direction that faces each of the load ports 2A to 2D. The transport robot 121 can access the containers on the load ports 2A to 2D through the openings 101a to 101d by extending and retracting the arm 122. As the transport robot 121 moves in the Y direction within the housing 100, the substrate W supported by the arm 122 is transported within the housing 100 along the transport track 13 shown in Figure 4. In addition to Figure 4, the configuration of the transport unit 130 will be described with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 4.

[0024] The transport unit 130 includes a transport robot 131. The transport robot 131 is a SCARA robot equipped with a horizontal articulated arm 132. The transport robot 131 in this embodiment is a single-arm robot and is equipped with one set of arms 132. The tip of the arm 132 is provided with a hand portion for holding the substrate W, and the substrate W is transported horizontally by extending and retracting the arm 132. The transport robot 131 includes a swivel / lifting unit 133 which constitutes its main body. The swivel / lifting unit 133 performs swivel of the arm 132 around the Z axis and lifts and lowers the arm 132.

[0025] The transport robot 131 is supported by a support base 106. The support base 106 includes a beam member 106a installed between the front wall portion 101 and the rear wall portion 102. In this embodiment, two beam members 106a are provided spaced apart in the Y direction. The support base 106 includes a support plate 106b fixed on the two beam members 106a. The swivel and lifting unit 133 of the transport robot 131 is fixed to the support plate 106b. Therefore, unlike the transport robot 121, the position of the transport robot 131 is fixed. This allows for simplification of the mechanism of the transport unit 130.

[0026] The transport robot 131 is positioned adjacent to the opening 102a. By raising and lowering and extending the arm 132, the transport robot 131 can access the processing unit 3 through the opening 102a.

[0027] The transport robot 131 is positioned above the transport track 13 at a height that allows the transport robot 121 to perform transport operations below the transport robot 131, and the position of the transport robot 131 in the X direction coincides with the position of the transport track 13 in the X direction. By adopting an arrangement in which the transport robots 121 and 131 overlap in the vertical direction, the size of the substrate transport device 10 can be suppressed, and a thin substrate transport device 10 in the X direction can be provided.

[0028] Refer to Figure 4. A stocker 170 is located inside the housing 100. The stocker 170 is a substrate housing having slots 171 capable of accommodating substrates W. Multiple rows of slots 171 are provided in the Z direction. The transport unit 120 can store substrates W in the stocker 170 in case of emergency.

[0029] The housing 100 also includes a relay unit 140 that relays the substrate W between the transport unit 120 and the transport unit 130. In this embodiment, the relay unit 140 functions as a buffer on which the substrate W being transferred between the transport unit 120 and the transport unit 130 is temporarily placed. This eliminates the need to synchronize the timing of the transfer of the substrate W between the transport unit 120 and the transport unit 130, further improving the throughput related to the transport of the substrate W.

[0030] Refer to Figures 7 and 8 in addition to Figure 4. Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram of the relay unit 140. The relay unit 140 comprises a mounting member 141 on which the substrate W is placed, and a lifting mechanism 143 for raising and lowering the mounting member 141. The mounting member 141 has slots 142 on which the substrate W is placed in a horizontal position. Multiple rows of slots 142 are provided in the Z direction. The center position of the slots 142 is located within the range that the arm 132 of the transport robot 131 can reach through its movement.

[0031] The slot 143 on which the substrate is placed may be determined by the state of the substrate W. For example, an unprocessed substrate W (a substrate W being transported from transport unit 120 to transport unit 130) is placed in the third slot 142 from the top in the processing unit 3. In this case, transport unit 120 always transports the substrate W to the third slot 142 from the top, and transport unit 130 always receives the substrate W from the third slot 142 from the top.

[0032] On the other hand, substrates W processed by the processing unit 3 (substrates W transported from transport unit 130 to transport unit 120) are placed in the third slot 142 from the bottom. In this case, transport unit 130 always transports substrates W to the third slot 142 from the bottom, and transport unit 120 always receives substrates W from the third slot 142 from the bottom. By determining which slot 142 to place the substrates W in based on whether or not they have been processed, the transport of substrates W can be made smoother.

[0033] The lifting mechanism 143 is, for example, a linear motor. The lifting mechanism 143 moves the mounting member 141 up and down between a lower position shown by a solid line in Figure 8 (corresponding to the height Z5 position shown in Figure 14) and an upper position shown by a dashed line in Figure 8 (corresponding to the height Z6 position shown in Figure 15), which is above the lower position. The lower position is the height position in the Z direction of the mounting member 141 when the substrate W is transferred between the transport robot 121 and the mounting member 141. The upper position is the height position in the Z direction of the mounting member 141 when the substrate W is transferred between the transport robot 131 and the mounting member 141.

[0034] The lower position is the position where at least one slot 142 is at the same height as the communication hole 113. The lower position is such that a predetermined slot 142 into which the transport robot 121 loads or unloads the substrate W is at the same height as the communication opening 113, which will be described later, and there may be some degree of vertical variation.

[0035] The upper position is the position between the minimum height at which the hand portion provided at the tip of the arm 132 of the transport robot 131 can access a predetermined slot 142, and the position of the upper edge of the opening 102a. The upper position is limited to a height at which the hand portion provided at the tip of the arm 132 of the transport robot 131 can access a predetermined slot 142 into which the transport robot 131 loads or unloads the substrate W, and there is some degree of vertical adjustment. A sensor unit 144 is provided to confirm which slot 142 the substrate W is placed in. The sensor unit 144 is supported by a beam member 144a that is installed between the front wall portion 101 and the rear wall portion 102 (see Figures 4 and 7).

[0036] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram of the sensor unit 144. The sensor unit 144 is an optical sensor equipped with a light-emitting element 144a and a light-receiving element 144b spaced apart in the X direction, and the light-receiving element 144b detects light emitted from the light-emitting element 144a. When the mounting part 141 on which the substrate W is placed in the slot 142 is raised and lowered by the sensor unit 144, the substrate W is positioned so that it crosses the optical axis between the light-emitting element 144a and the light-receiving element 144b. The presence or absence of a substrate W in each slot 142 can be determined by the position of the mounting member 141 raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism 143 and the detection result of the sensor unit 144. If the system stops due to a power outage or other reason, or if it is stopped in an emergency for any reason, this determination can be made when the system is restored, allowing for a smoother resumption of substrate W transport.

[0037] (Partitioning of the transport space) The partitioning of the transport space for the substrate W inside the housing 100 will be described with reference to Figures 4, 5 and 10. A partition section 110 is provided inside the housing 100. The partition section 110 divides the transport space for the substrate W inside the housing 100 into transport space 12A and transport space 12B.

[0038] The transport space 12A is a relatively large transport space and includes a region 12a in the Y direction and a region 12b extending upward in the Z direction from region 12a. The transport track 13 is included in region 12a. Transport space 12A is the transport space for the substrate W by the transport unit 120, which houses the transport unit 120, and is in communication with the openings 101a to 101d. Transport space 12B is a relatively small transport space. Transport space 12B is in communication with the opening 102a. It is the transport space for the substrate W by the transport unit 130, which houses the transport unit 130. Transport space 12B is located above the transport track 13 and region 12a in the Z direction, and laterally in the Y direction relative to region 12b.

[0039] The partition section 110 is an L-shaped structure having a bottom section 111 that partitions the transport space 12A and the transport space 12B in the Z direction, and a side section 112 that partitions the transport space 12A and the transport space 12B in the Y direction. In this embodiment, the bottom section 111 is formed by a blower unit 163, which will be described later. The side section 112 is a vertical wall section formed by a plate-shaped member, and in this embodiment, it is located in the center of the space inside the housing 100 in the Y direction. By positioning the side section 112 in the center, it is possible to secure both the transport space 12B and the area 12b.

[0040] A communication opening 113 is formed in the side portion 112, penetrating the side portion 112 in the Y direction and connecting the transport space 12A and the transport space 12B. The communication opening 113 forms the transport path for the substrate W between the transport space 12A and the transport space 12B.

[0041] The relay unit 140 is located in the transport space 12B. The relay unit 140 is positioned between the communication opening 113 and the transport unit 130. Therefore, the arm 122 of the transport robot 121 accesses the mounting member 141 of the relay unit 140 through the communication opening 113. The arm 132 of the transport robot 131 accesses the mounting member 141 of the relay unit 140 without passing through the communication opening 113.

[0042] (Airflow and pressure adjustment in the transport space) A duct 150 is provided at the top of the housing 100. A fan 151 is located inside the duct 150, and gas from outside the substrate transport device 10 is drawn into the housing 100. Blower units 161 to 163 are located inside the housing 100. Blower units 161 to 163 are fan filter units (FFU) that remove impurities from the drawn-in gas and discharge it.

[0043] The blower unit 161 is positioned above the transport space 12A, particularly above area 12b, and external gas from the substrate transport device 10 is introduced via a duct 152 branched from the duct 150. The blower unit 161 uses a fan to draw in the introduced gas, filters it to remove impurities such as particles, and then discharges it downwards towards the transport space 12A.

[0044] The blower unit 162 is arranged above the transfer space 12B, and gas outside the substrate transfer apparatus 10 is introduced into the blower unit 162 via a duct 153 branched from a duct 150. The blower unit 162 sucks the introduced gas with a fan, filters the gas through a filter to remove impurities, and then discharges the gas downward toward the transfer space 12B.

[0045] The blower unit 163 is arranged below the transfer space 12B and above the transfer space 12A, particularly above the region 12a, and is arranged between the transfer space 12A and the transfer space 12B. The blower unit 161 sucks gas in the transfer space 12B with a fan, filters the gas through a filter to remove impurities such as particles, and then discharges the gas downward toward the transfer space 12A.

[0046] The airflow and air pressure in the transfer spaces 12A and 12B can be adjusted by the blower units 161 to 163. A transfer unit 130 is arranged in the transfer space 12B, and the transfer unit 130 can serve as a particle generation source. Since the transfer space 12B is located above the region 12a of the transfer space 12A, if particles flow into the transfer space 12A from the transfer space 12B, there is a risk that the particles will adhere to the substrate W being transferred in the region 12a.

[0047] By setting the air pressure in the transfer space 12B to be slightly lower than that in the transfer space 12A, particles can be prevented from flowing into the transfer space 12A from the transfer space 12B. Specifically, the pressure difference between the transfer space 12A and the transfer space 12B generates an air flow from the region 12b of the transfer space 12A toward the transfer space 12B via the communication port 113, thereby preventing particles from flowing into the transfer space 12A from the transfer space 12B. For this purpose, the air volume of the air blowing unit 163 is controlled to be larger than that of the air blowing units 161 and 162. Thereby, the air pressure in the transfer space 12B can be made slightly lower than that in the transfer space 12A. By restricting the communication location between the transfer space 12A and the transfer space 12B to the communication port 113 by the partition portion 110, it is easy to create a pressure difference between the transfer space 12A and the transfer space 12B, or the movement of particles from the transfer space 12B to the transfer space 12A can be suppressed. In addition, in the present embodiment, since gas is discharged downward to the transfer space 12B by the air blowing unit 162, particles and the like can also be suppressed from flowing into the transfer space 12B from the region 12b side via the communication port 113.

[0048] (Control Unit) A control unit 11 is disposed inside the housing 100 (see FIG. 4 and the like). The control unit 11 is an electronic circuit that controls the substrate transfer apparatus 10. The control unit 11 includes a processor typified by a CPU, a storage device storing programs executed by the processor, an input-output interface for transmitting and receiving signals to and from external devices, and a communication interface. The transfer units 120 and 130, the relay unit 140, and the air blowing units 161 to 163 are controlled by the processor executing the programs.

[0049] (Example of Transfer Operation) An example of the transfer operation of the substrate W controlled by the control unit 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 17. Here, as an example, an example of transferring the substrate W from the container on the load port 2A to the processing apparatus 3 will be described.

[0050] First, the transport robot 121 is moved to a position facing the load port 2A. Figure 11 shows the stage in which the transport robot 121 is being moved in the Y direction to a position facing the load port 2A by the moving unit 124. Once the transport robot 121 is in a position facing the load port 2A, the substrate W is unloaded.

[0051] Figure 12 shows the stage of unloading the substrate W from the container 200 on the load port 2A. The load port 2A will now be described with reference to Figure 12. Note that load ports 2B to 2D have the same structure as load port 2A.

[0052] The container 200 has a box-shaped container body 201 with an opening 201a on its side for inserting and removing a substrate W such as a semiconductor wafer, and a door portion 202 that is detachably attached to the opening 201a and closes the opening 201a, and houses the substrate W. Figure 12 shows the state in which the door portion 202 has been removed from the container body 201 by the load port 2A and the door portion 202 has been lowered.

[0053] The load ports 2A to 2D include a mounting section 22 on which the container 200 is placed, a bolt plate 21, a port door 24, and a storage section 25 located below the mounting section 22. The bolt plate 21 is a plate-shaped wall extending in the Z direction. The bolt plate 21 closes the opening 101a formed in the front wall section 101 and, together with the front wall section 101, separates the external space on the side of the mounting section 22 from the area 12a of the substrate transport space 12A for transporting the substrate W inside the substrate transport device 10.

[0054] The bolt plate 21 includes an opening 21a through which the removed door section 202 and the arm 122 of the transport robot 121 can pass in the X direction.

[0055] The port door 24 includes a holding portion 24a for holding the door portion 202 and a support portion 24b for supporting the holding portion 24a. The holding portion 24a is equipped with, for example, a suction mechanism, which allows it to hold the door portion 202 by suction. The holding portion 24a is also provided with an operating mechanism (latch key) for operating 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.

[0056] The mounting section 22 comprises a dock plate 23 on which the container 200 is placed, and an operating mechanism 22a located inside it. The operating mechanism 22a includes a displacement mechanism for displacing the dock plate 23 in the X direction, a presence sensor for detecting the presence of the container 200, and a locking mechanism for locking the container 200 placed on the dock plate 23 to the dock plate 23. The dock plate 23 is provided with a plurality of positioning pins (kinematic pins) that position and support the container 200.

[0057] The storage section 25 is a hollow body in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The storage section 25 is provided with a lifting mechanism 26 for raising and lowering the port door 24 relative to the opening 21a. The lifting mechanism 26 comprises a lifting section 27 stored in the storage section 25 and a ball screw mechanism for raising and lowering the lifting section 27. The ball screw mechanism includes a ball screw shaft 26b, a slider 26e, a guide member 26d, a motor 26a which is the drive source, and a belt transmission mechanism 26c.

[0058] The guide member 26d is a rail member that guides the vertical movement of the slider 26e and is fixed to the bolt plate 21. The slider 26e has an engaging portion that engages with the guide member 26d and is reciprocable in the Z direction guided by the guide member 26d. The slider 26e is provided with a ball nut that engages with the ball screw shaft 26b via a ball.

[0059] The ball screw shaft 26b is connected to a belt drive mechanism 26c at its lower end. The belt drive mechanism 26c includes a driven pulley connected to the ball screw shaft 26b, a drive pulley connected to the output shaft of the motor 26a, and an endless belt wound around them. The rotational force of the motor 26a is transmitted to the ball screw shaft 26b via the belt drive mechanism 26c, causing the ball screw shaft 26b to rotate. The rotation of the ball screw shaft 26b causes the slider 26e, which is equipped with a ball nut, to move up and down.

[0060] The lifting section 27 includes a pair of connecting members 27a. The connecting members 27a are plate-shaped members that extend in the X direction through a slit 31 formed in the bolt plate 21. Supports 24b of the port door 24 are fixed to the X-direction ends of the pair of connecting members 27a. The lifting section 27 also includes a reciprocating mechanism 27b that moves the pair of connecting members 27a back and forth in the X direction. The reciprocating mechanism 27b allows the port door 24 to move back and forth in the X direction, thereby opening and closing the container 200.

[0061] With the container 200 open via the load port 2A, the substrate W can be unloaded by inserting the arm 122 of the transport robot 121 into the container body 201 through the opening 201a, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 12. The same procedure is followed when loading the substrate W into the container body 201. Let Z3 be the height of the arm 122 that unloads and loads the substrate W into and out of the container 200. The height Z3 may vary slightly depending on the storage position of the substrate W inside the container 200.

[0062] Once the substrate W is unloaded, the transport robot 121 is moved downwards in area 12b (Figure 10), as shown in Figure 13. The substrate W on the arm 122 is transported along the transport track 13 in the Y direction. In the example in Figure 13, two substrates W are transported by two sets of arms 122.

[0063] Next, as shown in Figure 14, the swivel / lifting unit 123 is driven to raise the arm 122 to area 12b (Figure 10). The substrate W and the arm 122 are positioned facing the communication opening 113. The mounting member 141 of the relay unit 140 is lowered to a position at a height Z5 below the transport unit 120 and the mounting member 141 for transporting the substrate W.

[0064] Next, as shown in Figure 14, the extension and raising / lowering of the arm 122 allows the substrate W and the arm 122 to pass through the communication opening 113, and the substrate W is placed in the slot 141a of the mounting member 141 in the transport space 12B. The same procedure is followed when unloading the substrate W from the mounting member 141. Let Z4 be the height of the arm 122 that loads and unloads the substrate W between the transport space 12A and the transport space 12B via the communication opening 13. The height Z4 varies slightly depending on the storage position of the substrate W in the mounting member 141. The relationship between height Z3 and height Z4 is Z3 < Z4.

[0065] Next, as shown in Figure 15, the mounting member 141 of the relay unit 140 is raised by the lifting mechanism 143 to a position above height Z6 for transporting the substrate W between the transport unit 130 and the mounting member 141. The substrate W that was transported earlier by the transport robot 121 is placed on the mounting member 141. Subsequently, the transport robot 131 takes out the first substrate W from the mounting member 141 by extending and raising the arm 132. Meanwhile, the transport robot 121 lowers the hand 122 by the swivel / lifting unit 123 and moves on to the operation of unloading another substrate W.

[0066] Next, as shown in Figure 16, the arm 132 of the transport robot 131 is rotated and raised by the rotation and lifting unit 133, and the arm 132 on which the substrate W is placed moves to a position facing the opening 102a. The transport robot 121 moves in the Y direction and proceeds with the unloading operation of another substrate W.

[0067] Next, as shown in Figure 17, the extension and raising / lowering of the arm 132 causes the substrate W and the arm 132 to pass through the opening 102a, and the substrate W is transported into the processing apparatus 3. The second substrate W is also transported to the processing apparatus 3 using the procedure shown in Figures 16 and 17. When transporting the substrate W from the processing apparatus 3 to the container 200, the procedure is generally the reverse of the above procedure.

[0068] In this embodiment, the substrate W can be transported between the container 200 and the processing device 3 using two transport units 120 and 130 arranged vertically. Since the transport units 120 and 130 can transport the substrate W in parallel, the throughput for transporting the substrate W can be improved.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the substrate W can be transported between the container 200 and the processing device 3 using two transport robots 121 and 131 arranged to overlap in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the substrate transport device 10 can be miniaturized in the X direction (depth direction), so the distance between the openings 101a to 101d and the opening 102a can be shortened. Therefore, the throughput for transporting the substrate W can be improved.

[0070] <Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the transport robot 121 of the transport unit 120 was moved in the Y direction by a moving unit 124 using a ball screw mechanism, but the configuration of the moving unit 124 is not limited to this. Figure 18 shows another example of the moving unit. The moving unit 124A is a self-propelled mobile unit that mounts the transport robot 121 and moves by the rolling of multiple wheels. The transport robot 121 may be moved by such a moving unit 124A. In addition, in the first embodiment and the example in Figure 18, an example was shown in which the transport robot 121 of the transport unit 120 can move in the Y direction by a moving unit, but the transport robot 121 (more specifically the part of the swivel / lifting unit 123) may be configured to have a fixed position in the Y direction. For example, even if the position of the transport robot 121 in the Y direction is fixed, the arm 122 may be configured in multiple stages so that the hand portion provided at the tip of the arm 122 can access each of the containers 200 placed on the load ports 2A to 2D, and the substrates W can be transported in the Y and X directions by only the extension and rotation movements of the arm 122.

[0071] <Third Embodiment> In the first embodiment, a layout in which the processing device 3 is placed behind the substrate transport device 10 was illustrated, but a layout in which the processing device 3 is placed to the side of the substrate transport device 10 is also possible. Figure 19 shows an example of this. In the example of Figure 19, the processing device 3 is placed on the side of the side wall portion 104 of the substrate transport device 10. In this case, an opening corresponding to the opening 102a in the first embodiment is formed in the side wall portion 104, and the substrate W is transported between the processing device 3 and the substrate transport device 10 through this opening.

[0072] <Other Embodiments> In the first embodiment, the substrate W was transferred between the transport unit 120 and the transport unit 130 via the relay unit 140. However, a structure in which the substrate W is directly transferred between the transport unit 120 and the transport unit 130 is also possible.

[0073] Although embodiments of the invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

Claims

1. A substrate transport device comprising: a housing that forms a transport space on which substrates are transported; a partitioning section disposed within the housing that divides the transport space into a first space and a second space; a first blowing means for drawing in gas from outside the housing, removing impurities, and discharging it downward toward the second space; and a second blowing means for drawing in gas from within the second space, removing impurities, and discharging it downward toward the first space, wherein the first blowing means is disposed above the second space, and the second blowing means is disposed below the second space and between the first space and the second space.

2. A substrate transport apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a third blowing means for removing impurities from gas drawn in from outside the housing and discharging it downward toward the first space, wherein the third blowing means is positioned above the first space.

3. A substrate transport device according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising: a plurality of load ports arranged in a first direction and a processing device for processing substrates, the first transport means being positioned between them and loading and unloading substrates into and out of containers placed on the plurality of load ports; and a second transport means being positioned between and out of the processing device, wherein the first space is a space for transporting substrates by the first transport means, and the second space is a space for housing the second transport means.

4. A substrate transport apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the airflow rate of the second air blowing means is controlled to be greater than the airflow rate of the first air blowing means.

5. A substrate transport apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the airflow rate of the second air blower is controlled to be greater than the airflow rate of the first air blower and the airflow rate of the third air blower.

6. A substrate transport apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first blowing means and the second blowing means are controlled such that the air pressure in the first space is greater than the air pressure in the second space.

7. A substrate transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the partitioned section has a communication opening that connects the first space and the second space and forms a transport path for the substrate, and an airflow from the second blowing means generates an airflow that goes from the first space to the second space through the communication opening.

8. A substrate transport device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second blowing means forms the bottom of the compartment.

9. A substrate transport device according to claim 3, characterized in that the first transport means is movable in the first direction, and the second transport means is fixed in position.

10. A substrate transport device according to claim 2, comprising: a plurality of load ports arranged in a first direction and a processing device for processing substrates, the first transport means being positioned between them and loading and unloading substrates into and out of containers placed on the plurality of load ports; and a second transport means being positioned to load and unload substrates into and out of the processing device, wherein the first space is a space for transporting substrates by the first transport means, the second space is a space for housing the second transport means, the first transport means performs a transport operation to transport substrates in the first direction, and the third blower means is positioned above the transport trajectory of the substrates in the transport operation.

11. A substrate transport device according to claim 3, characterized in that the second transport means is positioned above the transport trajectory of the substrate in the transport operation, at a height that allows the first transport means to perform transport operations below the second transport means.

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