Substrate Carrier Posture Switching for Safer Wafer Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate processing apparatuses have complex transport mechanisms that increase maintenance difficulty and risk substrate damage due to concentrated weight distribution during transport.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus with a carrier that changes posture between vertical and horizontal orientations, using a transport mechanism to handle the carrier, reducing the need for complex configurations and minimizing substrate damage by distributing weight evenly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple transport mechanisms are used to collectively hold and transport substrates, then substrate processing capability is improved, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple transport mechanisms into a single integrated transport mechanism that can collectively hold and transport multiple substrates simultaneously. This merging approach maintains the substrate processing capability while significantly reducing the overall device complexity and maintenance requirements compared to using separate transport mechanisms for each substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport mechanism is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple substrates in various configurations. It can adaptively adjust its holding and transport capabilities based on the number and arrangement of substrates, eliminating the need for multiple specialized transport mechanisms and thereby reducing system complexity.
2Device complexity
If substrates are transported in vertical posture with concentrated weight support, then transport mechanism structure is simplified, but substrate damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transport mechanism dynamically adjusts its support configuration based on the substrate arrangement and transport requirements. It can transition between different support modes (vertical and horizontal postures) and adaptively distribute the weight load across multiple support points, thereby maintaining structural simplicity while minimizing substrate damage risk through optimized weight distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the transport posture parameter from fixed vertical to variable (vertical or horizontal) based on specific transport needs. By adjusting the posture parameter and support distribution, the mechanism maintains structural simplicity while ensuring safe substrate transport without concentrated weight damage.
Data Source
AI summary
In a substrate processing apparatus, a carrier that contains a plurality of substrates is transported by a plurality of transport devices on a predetermined transport path from a start point to an end point. In a processing section provided in part of the transport path, a predetermined process is executed on the plurality of substrates contained in the carrier by a liquid processing unit. In the transport path, a posture changer that changes the posture of the carrier between a vertical posture and a horizontal posture is provided. The posture changer changes the posture of the carrier such that the carrier keeps the vertical posture in the processing portion and the carrier is kept having the horizontal posture in the portion except for the processing section.