Transfer system, transfer method, and transfer apparatus

A transfer method comprising:

• providing a transfer system including
• a transfer chamber having a side wall provided thereon with a plurality of processing chambers in which a processing is performed on a substrate under a decompressed atmosphere, and configured such that the substrate is transferred under the decompressed atmosphere,
• a plurality of robots fixed in the transfer chamber and configured to transfer the substrate, and
• a movable buffer configured to hold the substrate, and move in a horizontal direction along the side wall between the side wall and the robots in the transfer chamber;
• and
• operating the robots and the movable buffer in cooperation with each other, to exchange the substrate between the movable buffer and the processing chambers.

A transfer apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of robots fixed in a transfer chamber and configured to transfer a substrate, the transfer chamber having a side wall provided thereon with a plurality of processing chambers in which a processing is performed on the substrate under a decompressed atmosphere, and configured such that the substrate is transferred under the decompressed atmosphere;
• a movable buffer configured to hold the substrate, and move in a horizontal direction along the side wall between the side wall and the robots in the transfer chamber;
• and
• a controller configured to operate the robots and the movable buffer in cooperation with each other, to exchange the substrate between the movable buffer and the processing chambers.