Substrate processing system, interface apparatus, and substrate transportation method

An interface apparatus for placing in a boat a plurality of substrates transported thereto one by one from a first processing apparatus for performing single substrate processing on each of substrates to be processed, then transporting the boat having the plural substrates placed therein to a second processing apparatus for performing batch processing, and after completion of the batch processing, receiving the, boat said interface apparatus comprising:

• a stage;
• rotary table rotatably arranged on said stage, for placing the boat thereon;
• and
• positioning means for turning said rotary table in a direction of displacement of the boat to permit the boat to be placed on said rotary table when the boat is being placed on said rotary table with a shift position thereof displaced from a reference position in a rotatable direction of said rotary table, and after completion of placement of the boat, turning said rotary table in a direction opposite to the displacement direction to thereby position the boat at the reference position.

A substrate transportation method for transporting substrates to be processed one by one to an interface apparatus after each of the substrates is subjected to single substrate processing by a first processing apparatus, placing plural substrates in a substrate holding member, transporting the substrate holding member having the plural substrates placed therein to a second processing apparatus for subjecting batch processing to second processing, and after completion of the second processing, returning the substrate holding member to the interface apparatus, said substrate transportation method comprising the steps of:

• preparing urging means for urging a rotary table rotatably arranged on a stage inside the interface apparatus in opposite rotatable directions thereof such that the rotary table is always returned to a reference position;
• turning the rotary table in a direction of displacement of the substrate holding member with a guide pin of the rotary table engaged and guided by the substrate holding member, against an urging force of the urging means to permit the substrate holding member to be placed on the rotary table when the substrate holding member is being placed on the rotary table with a shift position thereof displaced from the reference position in a rotatable direction of the rotary table;
• and
• turning the rotary table in a direction opposite to the displacement direction and returning the rotary table to the reference position by the urging force of the urging means after completion of placement of the substrate holding member, to thereby position the substrate holding member at the reference position.

A substrate processing system comprising:

• a first processing apparatus for performing single substrate processing on each of substrates to be processed;
• a second processing apparatus for performing batch processing on plural substrates to be processed with the substrates held by a boat;
• an interface apparatus to which the substrates processed by said first processing apparatus are transported one by one, said interface apparatus causing the substrates to be held by the boat, transporting the boat holding plural substrates to said second processing apparatus, and after completion of the batch processing, retrieving the boat;
• a first transfer mechanism for loading/unloading the substrate into/from the boat in the interface apparatus;
• and
• a second transfer mechanism for transferring the boat in the interface apparatus to the second processing apparatus,
• said interface apparatus including:
• a stage,
• a rotary table rotatably arranged on said stage, for placing the boat thereon, and
• a rotator that turns said rotary table in a direction of displacement of the boat to permit the boat to be placed on said rotary table when the boat is being placed on said rotary table with a shift position thereof displaced from a reference position in a rotatable direction of said rotary table by said second transfer mechanism, and after completion of placement of the boat, turning said rotary table in a direction opposite to the displacement direction to thereby position the boat at the reference position.

An interface apparatus for placing in a boat a plurality of substrates transported thereto one by one from a first processing apparatus, then transports the boat having the plural substrates placed therein to a second processing apparatus for batch processing, and after completion of the batch processing, receiving the boat said interface apparatus comprising:

• a stage;
• a rotary table rotatably arranged on said stage, for placing the boat thereon;
• and
• a rotator for turning said rotary table in a direction of displacement of the boat to permit the boat to be placed on said rotary table when the boat is placed on said rotary table with a shift position thereof displaced from a reference position in a rotatable direction of said rotary table, and after completion of placement of the boat, to turn said rotary table in a direction opposite to the displacement direction to thereby position the boat at the reference position.