Substrate holder, substrate processing apparatus, method of processing substrate, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and recording medium

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate holder including a first boat configured to hold a plurality of substrates arranged along a predetermined axis and a second boat configured to be movable in a direction of the axis relative to the first boat;
• a rotator including a rotary shaft configured to support the first boat so as to be rotatable about the axis;
• and
• a driver configured to drive the second boat in the direction of the axis and separate the substrates from the first boat,
• wherein the first boat includes a plurality of first support columns extending in the direction of the axis and supporting the plurality of substrates from outer peripheral sides of the substrates,
• wherein the second boat includes a plurality of second support columns extending in the direction of the axis and supporting the plurality of substrates from the outer peripheral sides of the substrates, the second boat being configured such that the plurality of substrates are delivered from the first boat to the second boat and returned from the second boat to the first boat by moving the second boat relative to the first boat in both directions along the axis, and
• wherein an amount and a direction of elastic deformation of at least one selected from the group of the first boat and the second boat when supporting the plurality of substrates are set so that substantially no displacement of the at least one selected from the group of the first boat and the second boat occurs in a perpendicular direction with respect to the direction of the axis after a cycle including the delivery and return of the plurality of substrates is performed one or more times.

A method of processing a substrate, comprising:

• (a) a process of accommodating a first boat configured to hold a plurality of substrates arranged along a predetermined axis into a process container;
• (b) a process of processing the plurality of substrates in the process container while rotating the first boat by a rotator including a rotary shaft which supports the first boat so as to be rotatable about the axis;
• (c) a process of lifting a second boat upward and delivering the plurality of substrates from the first boat to the second boat by a driver capable of driving the second boat in a direction of the axis and separating the plurality of substrates from the first boat;
• and
• (d) a process of, after (c), driving the second boat in the direction of the axis, lowering the second boat downward by the driver, and returning the plurality of substrates from the second boat to the first boat,
• wherein an amount and a direction of elastic deformation of at least one selected from the group of the first boat and the second boat when supporting the plurality of substrates are set so that substantially no displacement of the at least one selected from the group of the first boat and the second boat occurs in a perpendicular direction with respect to the direction of the axis after a cycle including (c) and (d) is performed one or more times.