Substrate processing apparatus

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate processing chamber for processing a substrate;
• a transfer chamber;
• a substrate mounting body for mounting said substrate, said substrate mounting body having a through hole formed in a vertical direction and being provided in said substrate processing chamber;
• a substrate lifting member capable of vertically moving in said through hole;
• a first arm, capable of extending from outside said substrate processing chamber into said substrate processing chamber, for transferring said substrate in a horizontal direction;
• a second arm capable of extending from outside said substrate processing chamber into said substrate processing chamber, capable of moving in a vertical direction, and capable of separating said substrate upward from said substrate mounting body by moving said substrate lifting member upward;
• and
• a driving mechanism provided outside said substrate processing chamber for extending said first and second arms from outside said substrate processing chamber into said substrate processing chamber and for moving said first arm in the horizontal direction and moving said second arm in the vertical direction.

A substrate processing method using a substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

• a substrate processing chamber for processing a substrate;
• a transfer chamber;
• a substrate mounting body for mounting said substrate, said substrate mounting body having a through hole formed in a vertical direction and being provided in said substrate processing chamber;
• a substrate lifting member capable of vertically moving in said through hole;
• a first arm, capable of extending from said transfer chamber into said substrate processing chamber, for transferring said substrate in a horizontal direction;
• a second arm capable of extending from said transfer chamber into said substrate processing chamber, capable of moving in a vertical direction, and capable of separating said substrate upward from said substrate mounting body by moving said substrate lifting member upward;
• and
• a driving mechanism provided in said transfer chamber for extending said first and second arms from said transfer chamber into said substrate processing chamber and for moving said first arm in the horizontal direction and moving said second arm in the vertical direction, comprising the steps of:
• loading said substrate onto said first arm and positioning said substrate above said substrate mounting body in said substrate processing chamber;
• thereafter moving said substrate lifting member upward by moving said second arm upward, thereby moving said substrate from said first arm onto said substrate lifting member;
• thereafter removing said first arm from below said substrate;
• thereafter moving said substrate lifting member downward by moving said second arm downward, thereby moving said substrate from said substrate lifting member onto said substrate mounting body;
• and
• thereafter processing said substrate in said substrate processing chamber.

A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device using an apparatus, comprising:

• a semiconductor wafer processing chamber for processing a semiconductor wafer;
• a transfer chamber;
• a semiconductor wafer mounting body for mounting said semiconductor wafer, said semiconductor wafer mounting body having a through hole formed in a vertical direction and being provided in said semiconductor wafer processing chamber;
• a semiconductor wafer lifting member capable of vertically moving in said through hole;
• a first arm, capable of extending from said transfer chamber into said semiconductor wafer processing chamber, for transferring said semiconductor wafer in a horizontal direction;
• a second arm capable of extending from said transfer chamber into said semiconductor wafer processing chamber, capable of moving in a vertical direction, and capable of separating said semiconductor wafer upward from said semiconductor wafer mounting body by moving said semiconductor wafer lifting member upward;
• and
• a driving mechanism provided in said transfer chamber for extending said first and second arms from said transfer chamber into said semiconductor wafer processing chamber and for moving said first arm in the horizontal direction and moving said second arm in the vertical direction, comprising the steps of:
• loading said semiconductor wafer onto said first arm and positioning said semiconductor wafer above said semiconductor wafer mounting body in said semiconductor wafer processing chamber;
• thereafter moving said semiconductor wafer lifting member upward by moving said second arm upward, thereby moving said semiconductor wafer from said first arm onto said semiconductor wafer lifting member;
• thereafter removing said first arm from below said semiconductor wafer;
• thereafter moving said semiconductor wafer lifting member downward by moving said second arm downward, thereby moving said semiconductor wafer from said semiconductor wafer lifting member onto said semiconductor wafer mounting body;
• and
• thereafter processing said semiconductor wafer in said semiconductor wafer processing chamber.