Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

A substrate reverse moving device is composed of a reversing mechanism and a moving mechanism. A rotating mechanism incorporates a motor or the like, and is capable of rotating a first movable member and a second movable member to which first and second supporting members that support a substrate therebetween are fixed, respectively, around a horizontal axis through, for example, 180 degrees via a link mechanism. Moreover, a pair of transport rails is fixed on a base in parallel to V direction. A pair of sliding blocks is slidably attached to the pair of transport rails. A floorboard of the reversing mechanism is attached to the sliding blocks. A direct acting mechanism moves a driver in a direction parallel to the transport rails, so that the reversing mechanism moves back and forth in the V direction along the transport rails.

1 . A substrate processing apparatus that subjects a substrate having one surface and the other surface to processing, comprising:
 a processing region for processing the substrate;   a carrying in and out region for carrying the substrate into and out of said processing region; and   a transfer portion for transferring the substrate between said processing region and said carrying in and out region, wherein   said carrying in and out region includes   a container platform where a storing container that stores the substrate is placed, and   a first transport device that transports the substrate between the storing container that is placed on said container platform and said transfer portion,   said processing region includes   a processing unit that performs the processing on the substrate, and   a second transport device that transports the substrate between said transfer portion and said processing unit, and   said transfer portion includes   a reversing mechanism that reverses the one surface and the other surface of the substrate, and   a moving mechanism that moves said reversing mechanism so that the substrate can be transferred between said first transport device and said reversing mechanism and transferred between said second transport device and said reversing mechanism.   
   
   
       2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said moving mechanism linearly moves said reversing mechanism back and forth in a horizontal direction between a position where the substrate can be transferred between said first transport device and said reversing mechanism and a position where the substrate can be transferred between said second transport device and said reversing mechanism. 
   
   
       3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said first transport device includes a first supporter that supports the substrate and is provided so as to advance and withdraw, said first supporter advances and withdraws in a first advance/withdraw direction with respect to said reversing mechanism when transferring and receiving the substrate to and from said reversing mechanism,   said second transport device includes a second supporter that supports the substrate and is provided so as to advance and withdraw, said second supporter advances and withdraws in a second advance/withdraw direction with respect to said reversing mechanism when transferring and receiving the substrate to and from said reversing mechanism, and   said moving mechanism rotates said reversing mechanism around a substantially vertical axis so that said reversing mechanism faces a first transfer direction toward said first advance/withdraw direction or a second transfer direction toward said second advance/withdraw direction.   
   
   
       4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said reversing mechanism is arranged so that a rotation angle between said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is 180 degrees. 
   
   
       5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said reversing mechanism is arranged so that a rotation angle between said first transfer direction and said second transfer direction is smaller than 180 degrees. 
   
   
       6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said first transport device is provided so as to move in parallel to a first axis direction, stores and takes the substrate in and out of the storing container that is placed on said container platform in a state where said first transport device faces a second direction perpendicular to said first axis direction, and transfers and receives the substrate to and from said reversing mechanism in a state where said first transport device faces a third axis direction at an angle of smaller than 180 degrees to said second axis direction. 
   
   
       7 . A substrate processing method for subjecting a substrate to processing by a substrate processing apparatus including a carrying in and out region that includes a container platform and a first transport device, a processing region that includes a processing unit and a second transport device and a transfer portion for transferring the substrate between said processing region and said carrying in and out region, comprising the steps of:
 taking the substrate before processing out of a storing container that is placed on said container platform and transferring the taken out substrate before the processing to said transfer portion by said first transport device;   moving said reversing mechanism so that the substrate before the processing can be transferred from said reversing mechanism to said second transport device while reversing one surface and the other surface of the substrate before the processing by a reversing mechanism in said transfer portion;   transporting the substrate before the processing from said transfer portion to said processing unit by said second transport device;   processing the substrate before the processing in said processing unit;   transporting the substrate having been processed in said processing unit from said processing unit to said transfer portion by said second transport device;   moving said reversing mechanism so that the substrate after the processing can be transferred from said transfer portion to said first transport device while reversing the other surface and the one surface of the substrate after the processing by said reversing mechanism in said transfer portion; and   receiving the substrate after the processing from said transfer portion and storing the received substrate after the processing in said storing container by said first transport device.