Substrate Transfer Method and Substrate Transfer Apparatus

A substrate transfer apparatus comprising:

• a vacuum transfer chamber;
• an articulated robot arm installed in the vacuum transfer chamber and configured to transfer a substrate;
• a sensor configured to detect whether or not the substrate passes through a sensing region in the vacuum transfer chamber;
• and
• a controller configured to control the robot arm and the sensor,
• wherein the controller performs a control to:
• acquire sensing information from the sensor by moving the substrate by the robot arm such that the substrate passes through the sensing region;
• calculate a center position of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on the sensing information;
• detect a marker indicating a reference direction of the substrate by rotating the substrate about the center position in a state in which an edge of the substrate is located in the sensing region;
• calculate a direction of the substrate with respect to the robot arm based on a position of the marker;
• calculate a correction amount for use in placing the substrate on a stage in a processing chamber connected to the vacuum transfer chamber based on the center position of the substrate and the direction of the substrate;
• and
• place the substrate on the stage in the processing chamber such that the center position of the substrate and the direction of the substrate are corrected according to the correction amount.