Substrate transfer apparatus and substrate transfer method

A substrate transfer apparatus comprising:

• a first substrate transfer mechanism having a first substrate holding hand which is movable while holding a substrate;
• a second substrate transfer mechanism having a second substrate holding hand for receiving and transferring a substrate directly from and to the first substrate holding hand, the second substrate holding hand being movable while holding the substrate, the second substrate transfer mechanism further including a regulating member for regulating a relative movement of a substrate on the second substrate holding hand;
• a first positioning mechanism disposed, in a moving passage of a substrate held by the first substrate holding hand, independently from the first substrate transfer mechanism, and having a positioning contact portion for regulating a movement of a substrate such that the substrate is positioned at a predetermined position on the first substrate holding hand;
• and
• a second positioning mechanism disposed, in a moving passage of a substrate held by the second substrate holding hand, independently from the second substrate transfer mechanism, and having a positioning contact portion for regulating a movement of a substrate such that the substrate is positioned at a predetermined position on the second substrate holding hand;
• wherein the second substrate transfer mechanism is arranged to execute a positioning operation that the second substrate holding hand is moved to cause the substrate thereon to come in contact with the positioning contact portion and that the substrate is further relatively moved toward the regulating member on the second substrate holding hand, thereby to guide the substrate to a predetermined position on the second substrate holding hand.

A substrate transfer apparatus comprising:

• a substrate transfer mechanism having a substrate holding hand which is movable while holding a substrate, and a regulating member for regulating a relative movement of the substrate on the substrate holding hand;
• and
• a positioning mechanism disposed, in a moving passage of a substrate held by the substrate holding hand, independently from the substrate transfer mechanism, the positioning mechanism including a positioning contact portion for regulating a movement of a substrate such that the substrate is positioned at a predetermined position on the substrate holding hand;
• wherein the substrate transfer mechanism is arranged to execute a positioning operation that the substrate holding hand is moved to cause the substrate thereon to come in contact with the positioning contact portion and that the substrate is further relatively moved toward the regulating member on the substrate holding hand, thereby to guide the substrate to a predetermined position on the substrate holding hand.

A substrate transfer method, comprising:

• a step of holding a substrate by a first substrate holding hand of a first substrate transfer mechanism;
• a first positioning step of positioning the substrate at a predetermined position on the first substrate holding hand by moving the first substrate holding hand which holds the substrate, while regulating a movement of the substrate by a positioning contact portion disposed independently from the first substrate transfer mechanism;
• and
• a step of directly transferring, after the first positioning step, the substrate from the first substrate holding hand of the first substrate transfer mechanism to a second substrate holding hand of a second substrate transfer mechanism;
• a step of providing a regulating member for regulating a relative movement of the substrate on the first substrate holding hand,
• the first substrate positioning step including a step of causing the first substrate holding hand to move so that the substrate thereon comes in contact with the positioning contact portion and thereafter relatively moves toward the regulating member on the first substrate holding hand, thereby to guide the substrate to a predetermined position on the first substrate holding hand.

A substrate transfer method, comprising:

• a step of holding a substrate by a first substrate holding hand of a first substrate transfer mechanism;
• a first positioning step of positioning the substrate at a predetermined position on the first substrate holding hand by moving the first substrate holding hand which holds the substrate, while regulating a movement of the substrate by a positioning contact portion disposed independently from the first substrate transfer mechanism;
• a step of directly transferring, after the first positioning step, the substrate from the first substrate holding hand of the first substrate transfer mechanism to a second substrate holding hand of a second substrate transfer mechanism;
• and
• a second positioning step of positioning the substrate at a predetermined position on the second substrate holding hand by moving the second substrate holding hand which holds the substrate, while regulating a movement of the substrate by a positioning contact portion disposed independently from the second substrate transfer mechanism;
• a step of providing a regulating member for regulating a relative movement of the substrate on the second substrate holding hand,
• the second substrate positioning step including a step of causing the second substrate holding hand to move so that the substrate thereon comes in contact with the positioning contact portion and thereafter relatively moves toward the regulating member on the second substrate holding hand, thereby to guide the substrate to a predetermined position on the second substrate holding hand.

A substrate transfer method, comprising:

• a step of holding a substrate by a substrate holding hand of a substrate transfer mechanism;
• and
• a positioning step of positioning the substrate at a predetermined position on the substrate holding hand by moving the substrate holding hand which holds the substrate, while regulating a movement of the substrate by a positioning contact portion disposed independently from the substrate transfer mechanism;
• a step of providing a regulating member for regulating a relative movement of the substrate on the substrate holding hand,
• the substrate positioning step including a step of causing the substrate holding hand to move so that the substrate thereon comes in contact with the positioning contact portion and thereafter relatively moves toward the regulating member on the substrate holding hand, thereby to guide the substrate to a predetermined position on the substrate holding hand.