Substrate supporting and transferring apparatus, method of supporting and transferring substrate, and manufacturing method of display apparatus using the same

A method of supporting and transferring a substrate, the method comprising:

• a first pre-alignment step in which a chuck of a substrate supporting and transferring apparatus moves in an x-direction, a y-direction that is perpendicular to the x-direction, or a z-direction that is perpendicular to the x and y-directions, or rotates on a x-y plane that is formed by the x and y-directions, to load a first substrate having a first thickness;
• a first loading step in which the first substrate is loaded on the chuck of the substrate supporting and transferring apparatus;
• a first substrate supporting and moving step in which the chuck of the substrate supporting and transferring apparatus moves in the x, y, and z-directions, or rotates on the x-y plane to locate the first substrate on a process position for processing the first substrate;
• a first substrate unloading step in which the first substrate is unloaded by separating the first substrate from the chuck of the substrate supporting and transferring apparatus;
• a second pre-alignment step in which the chuck of the substrate supporting and transferring apparatus moves in the x-direction, the y-direction, or the z-direction, or rotates on the x-y plane to load a second substrate having a second thickness;
• a second substrate loading step in which the second substrate is loaded on the chuck of the substrate supporting and transferring apparatus;
• a second substrate supporting and moving step in which the chuck of the substrate supporting and transferring apparatus moves in the x, y, and z-directions, or rotates on the x-y plane to locate the second substrate on a process position for processing the second substrate;
• and
• a second substrate unloading step in which the second substrate is unloaded by separating the second substrate from the chuck of the substrate supporting and transferring apparatus,
• wherein:
• the substrate supporting and transferring apparatus includes a shuttle, a lower wedge block on the shuttle, an upper wedge block on the lower wedge block, and the chuck on the upper wedge block, and
• each of the first pre-alignment step, the first substrate supporting and moving step, the second pre-alignment step and the second substrate supporting and moving step includes:
• a shuttle moving step in which the shuttle moves in the x-direction or y-direction;
• an upper wedge block moving step in which the upper wedge block moves in the x-direction to move the chuck in the z-direction;
• and
• a lower wedge block rotating step in which the lower wedge block rotates on the shuttle on the x-y plane.

A method of manufacturing a display apparatus, the method comprising:

• a substrate providing step in which a substrate for manufacturing the display apparatus is provided and a photoresist layer is formed on the substrate;
• a substrate supporting and transferring step in which the substrate on which the photoresist layer is formed is transferred to an exposure position by a substrate supporting and transferring apparatus;
• and
• a display apparatus completing step in which a subsequent process is performed on the substrate on which the photoresist layer is formed to manufacture the display apparatus, and
• wherein the substrate supporting and transferring apparatus includes:
• a shuttle configured to move in an x-direction and a y-direction, the y-direction being perpendicular to the x-direction;
• a lower wedge block on the shuttle, the lower wedge block including a lower surface that is parallel with an upper surface of the shuttle and an upper surface that is inclined with respect to the lower surface of the lower wedge block;
• an upper wedge block on the lower wedge block, the upper wedge block including a lower surface that is parallel with the upper surface of the lower wedge block and an upper surface that is parallel with the upper surface of the shuttle;
• and
• a chuck on the upper wedge block, the chuck being configured to support the substrate, and
• wherein the substrate supporting and transferring step includes:
• a shuttle moving step in which the shuttle moves in the x-direction or y-direction;
• an upper wedge block moving step in which the upper wedge block moves in the x-direction to move the chuck in a z-direction, the z-direction being perpendicular to the x-direction and the y-direction;
• and
• a lower wedge block rotating step in which the lower wedge block rotates on the shuttle on the x-y plane.