Rotary substrate processing apparatus and method

A rotary substrate processing apparatus comprising:

• a rotor having a holding member for holding a plurality of substrates at intervals;
• and
• a motor for rotating the rotor, the motor being adjustable in its revolutions, wherein
• the holding member includes at least one open/close holding rod which moves to open or close the rotor in inserting the substrates into the rotor and a plurality of constant-position holding rods for holding the substrates in cooperation with the open/close holding rod;
• and
• the at least one open/close holding rod and/or at least one of the constant-position holding rods includes a press body having an elastically-deformable press piece adapted so as to move toward peripheral portions of the respective substrates by centrifugal force due to the rotation of the rotor thereby to press the substrates.

A rotary substrate processing apparatus comprising:

• a rotor having a pair of discs facing each other and a holding member interposed between the pair of discs for holding a plurality of substrates at intervals;
• a rotary drive shaft connected with one of the discs for rotating the rotor;
• and
• a motor connected with the rotary drive shaft for rotating the rotary drive shaft to drive the rotor, the motor being adjustable in its revolutions,
• wherein the holding member includes at least one open/close holding rod which moves to open or close the rotor in inserting the substrates into the rotor and a plurality of constant-position holding rods for holding the substrates in cooperation with the open/close holding rod;
• and
• at least one holding rod of the open/close holding rod and/or the constant-position holding rods includes elastically-deformable holding grooves which are swollen toward peripheral portions of respective substrates by pressure of a fluid supplied to the holding rod thereby to press the substrates,
• the holding rod having the elastically-deformable holding grooves including a fluid introductory path so as to provide pressured fluid for the elastically-deformable holding grooves,
• one of the discs having a first communication path connected with the fluid introductory path, and
• the rotary drive shaft having a second communication path connected with the first communication path on one end and communicated to a fluid source at the other end.