Substrate holder and substrate transfer apparatus using the same
AssigneeEbara Corporation
InventorsHiroo Suzuki, Kenya Ito, Kunihiko Sakurai, Satoshi Wakabayashi, Tetsuji Togawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a substrate holder for holding and transferring a thin substrate, comprising a substrate support member having a recessed area for placing a thin substrate therein and substrate mount portions formed in the recessed area in the vicinity of a circumferential edge thereof. The substrate mount portions is adapted to be engaged with an outer circumferential portion of a backside of the substrate placed in the recessed area. The substrate holder further comprises a substrate detector for detecting presence or absence of the substrate in the recessed area.
Claims21
A substrate holder for holding and transferring a thin substrate, comprising:
- a substrate support member having a recessed area for receiving a thin substrate therein, and substrate mount portions in said recessed area adjacent to a circumferential edge of said recessed area, said substrate mount portions being adapted to be engaged with an outer circumferential portion of a backside of the thin substrate when the thin substrate is received in said recessed area;
- and
- a substrate detector for detecting a presence or absence of the thin substrate in said recessed area, wherein said substrate detector comprises a first detection mechanism including:
- (i) a substrate detecting portion in said recessed area adjacent to the circumferential edge of said recessed area, said substrate detecting portion having a surface with which the outer circumferential portion of the backside of the thin substrate is to be engaged when the thin substrate is received in said recessed area;
- (ii) a gas passage provided in the substrate holder, said gas passage defining an opening in said surface of said substrate detecting portion;
- and
- (iii) a gas source in fluid communication with said gas passage,
- wherein said first detection mechanism is constructed and arranged to detect the presence or absence of the thin substrate in said recessed area by detecting a gas pressure in said opening.
A substrate holder for holding and transferring a thin substrate, comprising:
- a substrate support member having a recessed area for receiving a thin substrate therein;
- and
- an aligning mechanism constructed and arranged to move the thin substrate from an offset position to a regular position when the thin substrate is at the offset position and said substrate support member is moved beneath the thin substrate from the offset position to the regular position such that said substrate support member is enabled to accurately receive the thin substrate in said recessed area at the regular position.
A substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate from a first position to a second position, comprising:
- a substrate holder for holding a substrate, said substrate holder being adapted to be moved from a first position to a second position for transfer of the substrate, wherein said substrate holder comprises:
- (i) a substrate support member having a recessed area for receiving the substrate therein;
- (ii) substrate mount portions in said recessed area adjacent to a circumferential edge of said recessed area, said substrate mount portions being adapted to be engaged with an outer circumferential portion of a backside of the substrate when the substrate is received in said recessed area;
- and
- (iii) a substrate detector for detecting a presence or absence of the substrate in said recessed area, wherein said substrate detector comprises a first detection mechanism including:
- (a) a substrate detecting portion in said recessed area adjacent to the circumferential edge of said recessed area, said substrate detecting portion having a surface with which the outer circumferential portion of the backside of the substrate is to be engaged when the substrate is received in said recessed area;
- (b) a gas passage provided in the substrate holder, said gas passage defining an opening in said surface of said substrate detecting portion;
- and
- (c) a gas source in fluid communication with said gas passage,
- wherein said first detection mechanism is constructed and arranged to detect the presence or absence of the substrate in said recessed area by detecting a gas pressure in said opening.
A substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate from a cassette case that is to receive a plurality of substrates to a position outside of the cassette case, comprising:
- a movable substrate holder to hold and transfer a substrate, said movable substrate holder including an alignment member constructed and arranged to move the substrate from an offset position to a regular position when the substrate is at the offset position and said movable substrate holder is moved beneath the substrate from the offset position to the regular position such that said movable substrate holder is enabled to accurately receive the substrate at the regular position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.