Processing apparatus, transferring apparatus, and transferring method

Abstract

Processing apparatus is disclosed, that comprises substrate container holding table that can hold substrate container that contains plurality of target substrates, first transferring chamber, disposed adjacent to the substrate container holding table, that maintains the interior at first pressure, first processing unit group, disposed around the first transferring chamber, that processes target substrate at the first pressure, first transferring mechanism, disposed in the first transferring chamber, that transfers target substrate, second transferring chamber, disposed adjacent to the first transferring chamber, that maintains the interior at second pressure, second processing unit group, disposed around the second transferring chamber, that processes target substrate at the second pressure, and second transferring mechanism, disposed in the second transferring chamber, wherein the first transferring mechanism and/or the second transferring mechanism has at least two transferring arms.

1 - 26 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         27 . A transferring apparatus, comprising: 
 an arm that can be expanded, contracted, and swiveled; and    a target substrate holding member, disposed on the forward end side of the arm, that has a shape asymmetrical to a direction which the arm is expanded and contracted.    
     
     
         28 . The transferring apparatus as set forth in  claim 27 , further comprising a transferring mechanism that has: 
 a second arm that can be expanded, contracted, and swiveled; and    a second target substrate holding member, disposed on the forward end side of the second arm,    wherein a center position of the swiveling of each of the arm and the second arm is fixed.    
     
     
         29 . The transferring apparatus as set forth in  claim 28 , 
 wherein the center position of the swiveling of each of the arm and the second arm is defined so that a target substrate can be directly transferred by the expansion and the contraction of the arm and the second arm.    
     
     
         30 . A transferring method of two transferring arms that can be expanded, contracted, and swiveled and that are adjacently disposed, each of the transferring arms having a target substrate holding member, the target substrate holding member having a concave portion and a convex portion facing the other transferring arm, the method comprising: 
 causing the target substrate holding member of the fist transferring arm to be expanded toward nearly a center of the swiveling of the second transferring arm and the target substrate holding member of the second transferring arm and the target substrate holding member of the second transferring arm to be expanded toward a direction deviating from a center of the swiveling of the first transferring arm so that the concave portion and the convex portion of the target substrate holding member of the first transferring arm face the convex portion and the concave portion of the second transferring arm, respectively; and    transferring the target substrate between the first transferring arm and the second transferring arm.    
     
     
         31 . A transferring method of two transferring arms that can be expanded, contracted, and swiveled and that are adjacently disposed, each of the transferring arms having a target substrate holding member, the target substrate holding member having a concave portion and a convex portion facing the other transferring arm, the method comprising: 
 causing the target substrate holding member of the first transferring arm to be expanded toward a direction deviating from a center of a swiveling of the second transferring arm and the target substrate holding member of the second transferring arm to be expanded toward a direction deviating from a center of the swiveling of the first transferring arm so that the concave portion and the convex portion of the target substrate holding member of the first transferring arm face the convex portion and the concave portion of the target substrate holding member of the second transferring arm, respectively; and    transferring the target substrate between the first transferring arm and the second transferring am.