# US 9,520,309 B2 · Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,309 B2 - Document ID: US9520309B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/211,550 - Filed: 2014-03-14 - Published: 2014-09-18 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Tsutomu Hiroki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520309B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/0454: {surrounding a central transfer chamber} - H10P 72/3304: {characterised by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate includes a transfer device which has a drive motor and transfers a substrate, a peripheral device which has a drive motor and loads and unloads the substrate in substrate-transfer operation of the transfer device, and a control device which conducts drive control on the drive motor of the transfer device and drive control of the drive motor of the peripheral device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a transfer device comprising a drive motor and configured to transfer a substrate; a peripheral device comprising a drive motor and configured to load and unload the substrate in a substrate-transfer operation of the transfer device; and a control device comprising circuitry configured to conduct drive control of the drive motor of the transfer device and drive control of the drive motor of the peripheral device, wherein the drive motor of the transfer device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the drive motor of the peripheral device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the drive motor of the transfer device and the drive motor of the peripheral device such that the control device conducts closed-loop control by the pulse signals, and the circuitry of the control device is configured to use a trigger which is a signal amount of the pulse signals assigned to a set amount of rotations by one of the drive motor of the transfer device and the drive motor of the peripheral device such that the control device transmits a pulse signal which starts rotation of the other one of the drive motor of the transfer device and the drive motor of the peripheral device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal amount is a signal amount of the pulse signals when operation by the other one of the drive motor of the transfer device and the drive motor of the peripheral device is completed. ### Claim 3 A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a chamber configured to accommodate a substrate and having a substrate loading-unloading port; an open-close device comprising a drive motor and configured to open and close the substrate loading-unloading port; an elevator device comprising a drive motor and configured to lift and lower the substrate in the chamber; a transfer device comprising a drive motor and configured to load and unload the substrate to and from the chamber; and a control device comprising circuitry configured to conduct drive control of the drive motor of the transfer device, drive control of the drive motor of the open-close device and drive control of the drive motor of the elevator device, wherein the drive motor of the transfer device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the drive motor of the open-close device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the drive motor of the elevator device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the drive motor of the transfer device, the drive motor of the open-close device and the drive motor of the elevator device such that the control device conducts closed-loop control by the pulse signals, and the circuitry of the control device is configured to use a trigger which is a signal amount of the pulse signals assigned to a set amount of rotations by one of the drive motor of the transfer device, the drive motor of the open-close device and the drive motor of the elevator device such that the control device transmits a pulse signal which starts rotation of another one of the drive motor of the transfer device, the drive motor of the open-close device and the drive motor of the elevator device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the signal amount is a signal amount of the pulse signals when operation by the other one of the drive motor of the transfer device, the drive motor of the open-close device and the drive motor of the elevator device is completed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the elevator device such that when the substrate is unloaded from the chamber, the elevator device completes lifting at a time when the open-close device completes opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the open-close device such that the open-close device completes opening at a time when the elevator device completes lifting. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the elevator device such that when the substrate is unloaded from the chamber, the elevator device completes lifting at a time when the open-close device completes opening or is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the open-close device such that the open-close device completes opening at a time when the elevator device completes lifting. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the elevator device such that when the substrate is unloaded from the chamber, the elevator device completes lifting at a time when the open-close device completes opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the open-close device such that the open-close device completes opening at a time when the elevator device completes lifting. ### Claim 10 A method for processing a substrate, comprising: transmitting a signal from a control device of a substrate processing apparatus to a drive motor of a transfer device in the substrate processing apparatus such that the transfer device transfers a substrate inside the substrate processing apparatus; and transmitting a signal from the control device to a drive motor of a peripheral device in the substrate processing apparatus such that the peripheral device loads or unloads the substrate to or from the transfer device in a substrate-transfer operation of the transfer device, wherein the drive motor of the transfer device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the drive motor of the peripheral device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the control device comprises circuitry configured to control the drive motor of the transfer device and the drive motor of the peripheral device such that the control device conducts closed-loop control by the pulse signals, and the circuitry of the control device is configured to use a trigger which is a signal amount of the pulse signals assigned to a set amount of rotations by one of the drive motor of the transfer device and the drive motor of the peripheral device such that the control device transmits a pulse signal which starts rotation of the other one of the drive motor of the transfer device and the drive motor of the peripheral device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method for processing a substrate according to claim 10, wherein the signal amount is a signal amount of the pulse signals when operation by the other one of the drive motor of the transfer device and the drive motor of the peripheral device is completed. ### Claim 12 A method for processing a substrate, comprising: transmitting a signal from a control device of a substrate processing apparatus to a drive motor of an open-close device in the substrate processing apparatus such that the open-close device opens or closes a substrate loading-unloading port of a chamber configured to accommodate a substrate in the substrate processing apparatus; transmitting a signal from the control device to a drive motor of an elevator device in the substrate processing apparatus such that the elevator device lifts or lowers the substrate in the chamber; and transmitting a signal from the control device to a drive motor of a transfer device in the substrate processing apparatus such that the transfer device transfers the substrate in the substrate processing apparatus, wherein the drive motor of the transfer device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the drive motor of the open-close device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the drive motor of the elevator device is a servo motor configured to be driven by pulse signals, the control device comprises circuitry configured to control the drive motor of the transfer device, the drive motor of the open-close device and the drive motor of the elevator device such that the control device conducts closed-loop control by the pulse signals, and the circuitry of the control device is configured to use a trigger which is a signal amount of the pulse signals assigned to a set amount of rotations by one of the drive motor of the transfer device, the drive motor of the open-close device and the drive motor of the elevator device such that the control device transmits a pulse signal which starts rotation of another one of the drive motor of the transfer device, the drive motor of the open-close device and the drive motor of the elevator device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method for processing a substrate according to claim 12, wherein the signal amount is a signal amount of the pulse signals when operation by the other one of the drive motor of the transfer device, the drive motor of the open-close device and the drive motor of the elevator device is completed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method for processing a substrate according to claim 13, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the elevator device such that when the substrate is unloaded from the chamber, the elevator device completes lifting at a time when the open-close device completes opening. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method for processing a substrate according to claim 13, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the open-close device such that the open-close device completes opening at a time when the elevator device completes lifting. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method for processing a substrate according to claim 12, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the elevator device such that when the substrate is unloaded from the chamber, the elevator device completes lifting at a time when the open-close device completes opening or is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the open-close device such that the open-close device completes opening at a time when the elevator device completes lifting. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method for processing a substrate according to claim 12, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the elevator device such that when the substrate is unloaded from the chamber, the elevator device completes lifting at a time when the open-close device completes opening. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method for processing a substrate according to claim 12, wherein the circuitry of the control device is configured to control the pulse signals to the drive motor of the open-close device such that the open-close device completes opening at a time when the elevator device completes lifting.