Substrate position determining method and substrate position detecting method

A substrate position detecting method for performing a detection of a horizontal position of a substrate based on output images from a plurality of imaging units disposed along a peripheral portion shape of the substrate, the method comprising:

• a substrate peripheral portion detecting step for detecting a peripheral portion of the substrate, which is a target for a position detection, based on the output image of each imaging unit;
• a substrate position detecting step for, when it is determined that the peripheral portion of the substrate can be detected by at least one imaging unit, detecting the horizontal position of the substrate based on a shape of the detected peripheral portion;
• and
• a substrate position adjusting step for, when it is determined that the peripheral portion of the substrate cannot be detected by any imaging unit, acquiring a position adjusting direction of the substrate according to a combination of presence/absence states of the substrate obtained based on the output image from each imaging unit, and performing an adjustment of a substrate position by moving the substrate along the position adjusting direction.

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for performing a positioning of a substrate in a horizontal direction, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of imaging units disposed along a peripheral portion shape of the substrate, and configured to produce output images by capturing a peripheral portion of the substrate;
• and
• a control unit configured to detect the peripheral portion of the substrate, which is a target for a position detection, based on the output image of each imaging unit,
• wherein, when the peripheral portion of the substrate can be detected by at least one imaging unit, the control unit is further configured to acquire a positional deviation from a preset reference position based on a horizontal position of the substrate obtained from a shape of the detected peripheral portion, and to correct the positional deviation by controlling the substrate to be moved in a horizontal direction if the deviation exceeds a tolerance range, and
• when the peripheral portion of the substrate cannot be detected by any imaging unit, the control unit is further configured to obtain a position adjusting direction of the substrate according to a combination of presence/absence states of the substrate detected based on the output image from each imaging unit, and to perform an adjustment of a substrate position by controlling the substrate to be moved along the position adjusting direction.