Door opener and substrate processing apparatus provided therewith

A method of opening a door of a cassette with substrates, the method comprising:

• moving the cassette with substrates against a first wall provided with a first opening;
• grabbing the door of the cassette with a closing device provided with first and second sides;
• moving the closure device with the door of the cassette in a first direction from a first closing position where the first side substantially closes against the first wall to a second closing position where the second side substantially closes against a second wall with a second opening opposite the first wall and the second side substantially covers the second opening in the second closed position;
• moving the closure device with the door of the cassette in the first direction from the second closing position to a transport position in between the first and second closing positions;
• and
• moving the closure device with the door of the cassette in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction from the transport position to a storage position in a chamber between the first and second wall.

A door opener constructed and arranged to open a door of a cassette with substrates, the opener comprising:

• a first wall configured to engage with the cassette and provided with a first opening to transfer the door and substrates of the cassette;
• a second wall opposite the first wall and provided with a second opening to transfer substrates;
• and,
• a closure device configured to hold the door of the cassette and moveable in a chamber formed between the first and second wall,
• wherein the first opening and the second opening are on the opposite sides of the chamber,
• wherein the opener is provided with a first actuator constructed and arranged to move the closure device with the door in a first direction:
• from a first closing position where a first side of the closing device substantially closes against the first wall to a second closing position where the second side of the closing device substantially closes against the second wall;
• and
• from the second closing position to a transport position in between the first and second closing positions, and
• wherein the opener comprises a second actuator constructed and arranged to move the closure device from the transport position to a storage position in the chamber.

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

• a door opener constructed and arranged to open a door of a cassette with substrates, the door opener comprising:
• a first wall configured to engage with the cassette and provided with a first opening to transfer the door and substrates of the cassette;
• a second wall opposite the first wall and provided with a second opening to transfer substrates;
• and,
• a closure device configured to hold the door of the cassette and moveable in a chamber formed between the first and second wall,
• wherein the first opening and the second opening are on the opposite sides of the chamber, and
• wherein the opener is provided with a first actuator constructed and arranged to move the closure device with the door in a first direction:
• from a first closing position where a first side of the closing device substantially closes against the first wall to a second closing position where the second side of the closing device substantially closes against the second wall;
• and
• from the second closing position to a transport position in between the first and second closing positions;
• a substrate handling robot provided in a substrate handling room, wherein the first and second wall of the door opener form a wall of the substrate handling room;
• and
• a nitrogen purge system constructed and arranged to provide a purge flow in the substrate handling room.