Substrate transfer apparatus and method, and storage medium

A substrate transfer apparatus formed of a box-shaped structure having at least two open sides, for temporarily keeping one or more substrates and transferring the substrates to at least two transfer arms introduced therein from the respective two open sides, the apparatus comprising:

• one or more substrate mounting members, each of the members including a substrate supporting portion for supporting a central portion of a substrate and a body connected to the substrate supporting portion, the body disposed so as not to interfere with moving paths of the two transfer arms, wherein each of the substrate mounting members has cutout portions corresponding to shapes of leading ends of the two transfer arms, and the cutout portions serve to prevent interference between the two transfer arms and each of the substrate mounting members;
• and
• a substrate position alignment mechanism for each of the substrate mounting members to carry out a position alignment of the substrate, wherein each substrate position alignment mechanism has two substrate contact members provided symmetrically with respect to a substrate transfer direction of one of the two transfer arms, the two substrate contact members being contacted with the substrate transferred by said one of the two transfer arms when carrying out the position alignment.