Substrate transfer apparatus and substrate processing apparatus

In an apparatus for transferring a substrate comprising an arm holder moving into and out of a cassette while a substrate is mounted thereon, a forward and backward driving mechanism for moving the arm holder forward and backward, and a contact support member for supporting the substrate in contact with a lower surface peripheral portion of the substrate placed on the arm holder,

• the improvement of said contact support member comprising:
• a first defining portion having a single stepped portion that supports a front peripheral portion of the substrate, and defines a front end of the substrate placed on the arm holder;
• a second defining portion facing the first defining portion and having a stepped portion that supports a rear peripheral portion of the substrate, and defines a rear end of the substrate placed on the arm holder;
• and
• a push mechanism movably fitted near a rear end of the arm holder and slidable along an upper surface of the arm holder that moves the second defining portion toward the first defining portion,
• wherein said first defining portion has an inner surface that contacts the front peripheral portion of the substrate and said second defining portion has an inner surface that contacts the rear peripheral portion of the substrate, and
• wherein when the push mechanism moves the second defining portion, the substrate moves forward while the stepped portion of the second defining portion is in contact with the rear end of the substrate, thereby aligning the substrate with the arm holder.

In an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a process section for processing a resist of a substrate, a cassette section for receiving the substrate together with a cassette and transferring the substrate to/from the process section, an interface section for transferring the substrate to/from another apparatus and transferring the substrate to/from the process section, and a substrate transfer apparatus arranged in at least one of the cassette section and the interface section, said substrate transfer apparatus comprising an arm holder moving into and out of a cassette while the substrate is mounted thereon, a forward and backward driving mechanism for moving the arm holder forward and backward, and a contact support member for supporting the substrate in contact with a lower surface peripheral portion of the substrate placed on the arm holder,

• the improvement of said contact support member comprising:
• a first defining portion having a single stepped portion that supports a front peripheral portion of the substrate, and defines a front end of the substrate placed on the arm holder;
• and
• a second defining portion facing the first defining portion and having an upper stepped portion and a lower stepped portion that supports a rear peripheral portion of the substrate, for defines a rear end of the substrate placed on the arm holder, said upper stepped portion and said lower stepped portion being continuously formed smoothly via a rounded edge portion, the lower stepped portion substantially being arranged at the same height level as the single stepped portion of the first defining portion, the upper stepped portion being arranged at a different height level from the single stepped portion of the first defining portion, the lower stepped portion being positioned closer to the first defining portion than the upper stepped portion, a distance from the lower stepped portion to the single stepped portion of the first defining portion corresponding to a diameter of the substrate plus allowance,
• wherein, when the forward and backward driving mechanism moves backward the arm holder, the rear peripheral portion of the substrate slides down due to an inertial force from the upper stepped portion to the lower stepped portion, thereby aligning the substrate with the arm holder.

In accordance for processing a substrate comprising a process section for processing a resist of a substrate, a cassette section for receiving the substrate together with a cassette and transferring the substrate to/from the process section, an interface section for transferring the substrate to/from another apparatus and transferring the substrate to/from the process section, and a substrate transfer apparatus arranged in at least one of the cassette section and the interface section, said substrate transfer apparatus comprising an arm holder moving into and out of a cassette while a substrate is mounted thereon, a forward and backward driving mechanism for moving the arm holder forward and backward, and a contact support member for supporting the substrate in contact with a lower surface peripheral portion of the substrate placed on the arm holder,

• the improvement of said contact support member comprising:
• a first defining portion having a single stepped portion that supports a front peripheral portion of the substrate, and defines a front end of the substrate placed on the arm holder;
• a second defining portion facing the first defining portion and having a stepped portion that supports a rear peripheral portion of the substrate, and defines a rear end of the substrate placed on the arm holder;
• and
• a push mechanism movably fitted near a rear end of the arm holder and slidable along an upper surface of the arm holder that moves the second defining portion toward the first defining portion,
• wherein said first defining portion has an inner surface that contacts the front peripheral portion of the substrate and said second defining portion has an inner surface that contacts the rear peripheral portion of the substrate, and
• wherein, when the push mechanism moves the second defining portion, the substrate moves forward while the stepped portion of the second defining portion is in contact with the rear end of the substrate, thereby aligning the substrate with the arm holder.