Centering Device, Centering Method and Substrate Processing Apparatus

A centering device for positioning a substrate on a substrate support such that a center of the disk-shaped substrate placed in a horizontal posture on an upper surface of the substrate support is aligned with a center of the substrate support, the device comprising:

• a first contact member movable in a horizontal plane in a first horizontal direction from a first reference position that is separated from the center of the substrate support by a reference distance longer than a radius of the substrate toward the center of the substrate support, the first horizontal direction being a direction toward the center of the substrate support;
• a second contact member movable in the horizontal plane in a second horizontal direction from a second reference position that is inclined by a first angle with respect to a virtual line extending in the first horizontal direction from the center of the substrate support and separated from the center of the substrate support by the reference distance on a side opposite to the first contact member with respect to the center of the substrate support, the second horizontal direction being different from a direction toward the center of the substrate support and extending toward the substrate;
• a third contact member movable in the horizontal plane in a third horizontal direction from a third reference position that is inclined by a second angle with respect to a virtual line and separated from the center of the substrate support by the reference distance on a side opposite to the first contact member with respect to the center of the substrate support and opposite to the second contact member with respect to the virtual line, the third horizontal direction being different from a direction toward the center of the substrate support and extending toward the substrate;
• a moving mechanism configured to move the first contact member, the second contact member and the third contact member respectively in the first horizontal direction, the second horizontal direction and the third horizontal direction;
• and
• a controller configured to perform an aligning the substrate with respect to the substrate support by controlling the moving mechanism, wherein
• the first angle is in a range of 40° or larger and 60° or smaller,
• the second angle is in a range of 40° or larger and 60° or smaller, and
• the controller is configured to control the moving mechanism to repeat minute movements of moving the first contact member, the second contact member and the third contact member respectively by a first movement amount, a second movement amount and a third movement amount until contact of all of the first contact member, the second contact member and the third contact member with the substrate is completed so that distances of the first contact member, the second contact member and the third contact member from the center of the substrate support are kept equal.