US 2001/0055522 A1Published application

Substrate processing apparatus

AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited

InventorsMasatoshi Kaneda, Michiaki Matsushita

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Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus is composed of: a mounting table for mounting thereon a cassette including a lid detachably attached on an opening for carrying in/out a wafer; a cassette station for processing the wafer housed in the cassette on the mounting table; a sub-arm mechanism for taking the wafer out of the cassette on the mounting table, transferring it to the cassette station, and returning the wafer after processing to the cassette on the mounting table; a partition plate for partitioning an atmosphere on the sub-arm mechanism side from an atmosphere on the mounting table side; a slide stage for moving the cassette in a direction of an opening of the partition plate on the mounting table; a lid removing mechanism for removing the lid from the opening of the cassette through the opening of the partition plate; and an X-axis cylinder for controlling a thrust of the slide stage. This can prevent a finger or the like from being caught between the cassette and the partition plate when the wafer is carried into the processing system, thereby carrying in the wafer with certainty and safety.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a cassette mounting table for mounting thereon a cassette having an opening for carrying in/out a substrate and including a lid detachably attached on the opening;
a processing section for processing the substrate housed in the cassette on the cassette mounting table;
a transfer arm mechanism for taking the substrate out of the cassette on the cassette mounting table, transferring the substrate to the processing section, and returning the substrate after processing to the cassette on the cassette mounting table;
a partition member, provided between the transfer arm mechanism and the cassette mounting table, for partitioning an atmosphere on the transfer arm mechanism side from an atmosphere on the cassette mounting table side, and including an opening larger than the opening of the cassette;
a cassette transfer mechanism disposed to be movable forward and backward in a direction of the opening of the partition member;
a lid removing mechanism for removing the lid from the opening of the cassette through the opening of the partition member and attaching the lid to the opening of the cassette;
and
a thrust control mechanism for changing a thrust of the cassette transfer mechanism before and after the cassette reaches the partition member with a predetermined space interposed therebetween.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.