Hand unit and transfer method

A hand unit of a robot arm for transferring a semiconductor wafer, comprising;

• a plate-like U-shaped hand member;
• a first support member provided on a distal end side of the hand member;
• a second support member provided on a root side of the hand member;
• a third support member provided on the root side of the hand member;
• and
• a first driving unit,
• the first support member including a first support portion configured to support the semiconductor wafer at a first support height from a surface of the hand member, and a second support portion configured to support the semiconductor wafer at a second support height from the surface,
• the second support member including a third support portion configured to support the semiconductor wafer at the first support height from the surface, and
• the third support member including a fourth support portion configured to support the semiconductor wafer at the second support height from the surface,
• wherein the first driving unit moves the second support member and/or the third support member forward and backward with respect to the first support member.

A transfer method of transferring a semiconductor wafer by a hand unit of a robot arm including a U-shaped placement portion on which the semiconductor wafer is placed,

• the hand unit including
• a first support portion and a second support portion which are arranged on one end side of the placement portion, the first support portion being configured to support the semiconductor wafer at a first support height, and the second support portion being configured to support the semiconductor wafer at a second support height, and
• a third support portion and a fourth support portion each arranged oh the other end side of the placement portion and configured to support the semiconductor wafer,
• the method comprising:
• a first transferring step of transferring the semiconductor wafer before a process;
• and
• a second transferring step of transferring the semiconductor wafer after the process,
• the first transferring step including
• a first moving step of moving one of the third support portion or the fourth support portion, and
• a first supporting step of supporting the semiconductor wafer at the first support height by the first support portion and the other one of the third support portion or the fourth support portion,
• the second transferring step including
• a second moving step of moving the one of the third support portion or the fourth support portion, and
• a second supporting step of supporting the semiconductor wafer at the second support height by the second support portion and the one of the third support portion or the fourth support portion.

A transfer method of transferring a semiconductor wafer by a hand unit of a robot arm including a U-shaped placement portion on which the semiconductor wafer is placed,

• the hand unit including
• a first support portion and a second support portion which are arranged on one end side of the placement portion, the first support portion being configured to support the semiconductor wafer at a first support height, and the second support portion being configured to support the semiconductor wafer at a second support height, and
• a third support portion and a fourth support portion each arranged on the other end side of the placement portion and configured to support the semiconductor wafer,
• the method comprising:
• a first transferring step of transferring the semiconductor wafer before a process;
• and
• a second transferring step of transferring the semiconductor wafer after the process,
• the first transferring step including
• a first arrangement change step of changing relative arrangement of the third support portion and the fourth support portion, and
• a first supporting step of supporting the semiconductor wafer at the first support height by the first support portion and the third support portion,
• the second transferring step including
• a second arrangement change step of changing relative arrangement of the third support portion and the fourth support portion, and
• a second supporting step of supporting the semiconductor wafer at the second support height by the second support portion and the fourth support portion.