# US 2010/0168908 A1 · Transport method and transport apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0168908 A1 - Document ID: US20100168908A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/644,615 - Filed: 2009-12-22 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2007-06-21 - Assignees: Nikon Corporation - Inventors: Hidehiro MAEDA; Kazuya Okamoto; Yasuaki Tanaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168908A1 ## CPC - H10P 72/30: for conveying, e.g. between different workstations - H10P 72/0428: {Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting} - H10P 72/0606: {Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection} - H10P 72/50: for positioning, orientation or alignment - H10W 72/60: Strap connectors, e.g. thick copper clips for grounding of power devices - Y10T 156/10: Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Provided is a transport method comprising judging whether there is a possibility that misalignment greater than or equal to a threshold value occurs between substrates to be layered that are held by a pair of substrate holders aligned and stacked by an aligning section, the misalignment occurring when the pair of substrate holders is transported from the aligning section to a pressure applying section; and if the judgment indicates that there is the possibility of misalignment, transporting the pair of substrate holders to a region other than the pressure applying section. Whether there is the possibility of misalignment may be judged based on acceleration of the substrate holders. Whether there is the possibility of misalignment may be judged based on acceleration of a transporting section that transports the substrate holders. Whether there is the possibility of misalignment may be judged based on relative positions of the substrate holders. Whether there is the possibility of misalignment may be judged based on relative positions of (i) a transporting section that transports the pair of substrate holders and (ii) one of the pair of substrate holders. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transport method comprising: judging whether there is a possibility that misalignment greater than or equal to a threshold value occurs between substrates to be layered that are held by a pair of substrate holders aligned and stacked by an aligning section, the misalignment occurring when the pair of substrate holders is transported from the aligning section to a pressure applying section; and if the judgment indicates that there is the possibility of misalignment, transporting the pair of substrate holders to a region other than the pressure applying section. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transport method of claim 1, wherein whether there is the possibility of misalignment is judged based on acceleration of the substrate holders. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The transport method of claim 1, wherein whether there is the possibility of misalignment is judged based on acceleration of a transporting section that transports the substrate holders. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The transport method of claim 1, wherein whether there is the possibility of misalignment is judged based on relative positions of the substrate holders. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The transport method of claim 1, wherein whether there is the possibility of misalignment is judged based on relative positions of (i) a transporting section that transports the pair of substrate holders and (ii) one of the pair of substrate holders. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The transport method of claim 1, wherein even in a case where an abnormality, including a transportation abnormality, is detected, if the pair of substrate holders is judged to have no possibility of misalignment, the pair of substrate holders is transported to the pressure applying section and the substrates are affixed to each other. ### Claim 7 A transport apparatus that transports a pair of substrate holders, which are aligned and stacked by an aligning section and hold substrates to be layered, from the aligning section to a pressure applying section, comprising: a control section that (i) judges whether there is a possibility of misalignment greater than or equal to a threshold value occurring between the substrates, the misalignment occurring during transport from the aligning section to the pressure applying section, and (ii) if the judgment indicates the possibility of misalignment, causes the pair of substrate holders to be transported to a region other than the pressure applying section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The transport apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control section judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on acceleration of the substrate holders detected by an acceleration sensor mounted on at least one of the substrate holders. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The transport apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control section judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on acceleration of the substrate holders detected by an acceleration sensor mounted on a transporting section that transports the substrates. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The transport apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control section includes a servo control section and judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on acceleration of the substrate holders detected by an encoder of the servo control section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The transport apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control section judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on relative positions of the substrate holders detected by a gap sensor mounted on the substrate holders. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The transport apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control section judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on relative positions of the substrate holders calculated from the position of each of the substrate holders. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The transport apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control section judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on relative positions of (i) a transporting section that transports the pair of substrates and (ii) one of the pair of substrate holders. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The transport apparatus according to claim 7, wherein even in a case where an abnormality, including a transportation abnormality, is detected, if the pair of substrate holders is judged to have no possibility of misalignment, the control section causes the pair of substrate holders to be transported to the pressure applying section. ### Claim 15 A transport method comprising: judging whether there is a possibility that misalignment greater than or equal to a threshold value occurs between substrates aligned and stacked by an aligning section, the misalignment occurring when the pair of substrates is transported from the aligning section to a pressure applying section; and if the judgment indicates that there is the possibility of misalignment, transporting the pair of substrates to a region other than the pressure applying section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The transport method of claim 15, wherein whether there is the possibility of misalignment is judged based on acceleration of the substrates. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The transport method of claim 15, wherein whether there is the possibility of misalignment is judged based on acceleration of a transporting section that transports the substrates. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The transport method of claim 15, wherein whether there is the possibility of misalignment is judged based on relative positions of the substrates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The transport method of claim 15, wherein whether there is the possibility of misalignment is judged based on relative positions of (i) a transporting section that transports the pair of substrates and (ii) one of the pair of substrates. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The transport method of claim 15, wherein even in a case where an abnormality, including a transportation abnormality, is detected, if the pair of substrates is judged to have no possibility of misalignment, the pair of substrates is transported to the pressure applying section and the substrates are affixed to each other. ### Claim 21 A transport apparatus that transports a pair of substrates, which are aligned and stacked by an aligning section, from the aligning section to a pressure applying section, comprising: a control section that (i) judges whether there is a possibility of misalignment greater than or equal to a threshold value occurring between the substrates, the misalignment occurring during transport from the aligning section to the pressure applying section, and (ii) if the judgment indicates the possibility of misalignment, causes the pair of substrates to be transported to a region other than the pressure applying section. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The transport apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the control section judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on acceleration of the substrates detected by an acceleration sensor mounted on a transporting section that transports the substrates. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The transport apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the control section includes a servo control section and judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on acceleration of the substrates detected by an encoder of the servo control section. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The transport apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the control section judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on relative positions of the substrates calculated from the position of each of the substrates. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The transport apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the control section judges whether there is the possibility of misalignment based on relative positions of (i) a transporting section that transports the pair of substrates and (ii) one of the pair of substrate holders. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The transport apparatus according to claim 21, wherein even if an abnormality, including a transportation abnormality, is detected, if the pair of substrate holders is judged to have no possibility of misalignment, the control section causes the pair of substrate holders to be transported to the pressure applying section.