Abstract: In the substrate holder, while holding a periphery portion of a semiconductor wafer, some of protruding portions having a grass shape on a pad main body hide beneath the semiconductor wafer, and the others of the protruding portions are exposed outside the semiconductor wafer. Also, the protruding portions hiding beneath the semiconductor wafer contact a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer, and sink the semiconductor wafer to a suitable depth via gravity, thereby holding the semiconductor wafer mainly in a length direction. In addition, some of protruding portions exposed near the periphery portion of the semiconductor wafer contact a side surface of the semiconductor wafer, thereby holding the semiconductor wafer mainly in a width direction.

Abstract: There is provided a temperature control system, including: a stage configured to support a workpiece and provided with a heat exchange medium flow path formed within the stage, the heat exchange medium flow path including a first end and a second end; a first valve; a second valve; a first heat exchange medium supply device including a supply port which supplies a first heat exchange medium adjusted to have a first temperature and a recovery port; a second heat exchange medium supply device including a supply port which supplies a second heat exchange medium adjusted to have a second temperature higher than the first temperature and a recovery port; and a control device configured to control the first and second valves such that the first and second heat exchange mediums are alternately supplied to the first end of the heat exchange medium flow path.

Abstract: A substrate processing system is provided with: a first transfer unit, which extends from a loader module to a first processing chamber for processing substrates, to transfer the substrates; and a second transfer unit, which is provided below or above the first transfer unit and extends from the loader module to a second processing chamber for processing substrates, to transfer the substrates. The first processing chamber and the second processing chamber do not overlap in the vertical direction, and are disposed at positions separated from each other in a plan view. At the same time, at least a part of the first transfer unit and at least a part of the second transfer unit overlap each other in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A substrate processing device to suppress contamination inside a transfer chamber, suppresses heat conduction from a processing chamber to a transfer chamber with a simple structure, and reduce cost is disclosed. The substrate processing device includes a process module maintained in a vacuum atmosphere to perform plasma process on a wafer, a transfer module maintained in a vacuum atmosphere to transfer the wafer into/out of the process module; and a coupling member connects the process module and the transfer module. The coupling member has a metal frame member interposed between a vacuum chamber of the process module and a transfer module housing part, and that separates the transfer module having a vacuum atmosphere and an exterior of the substrate processing device having an air atmosphere; and a plurality of spherical members that is in contact with an inner surface of the frame member inside the frame member.

Abstract: A transfer device includes: a transfer unit configured to transfer a substrate from a transfer original position to a corrected transfer destination position; a plurality of position detecting units installed between the transfer original position and the corrected transfer destination position and configured to detect a position of the substrate which is being transferred by the transfer unit; and a control unit configured to calculate the corrected transfer destination position by correcting an initial transfer destination position set at the start of the transfer of the substrate, based on the position of the substrate detected by the position detecting units, before the substrate is transferred to the initial transfer destination position, and configured to control the transfer unit to transfer the substrate to the corrected transfer destination position along a transfer path produced by modifying an initial transfer path.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a substrate transfer device is equipped with a chamber wall, a table, a linear motor transfer mechanism, an optical window, and a laser measuring instrument. The chamber wall defines a transfer space. The table is housed within the transfer space. It is possible for a substrate to be loaded on the table. The linear motor transfer mechanism moves the table within the transfer space, by a linear motor. The optical window is installed between the transfer space and the space to the outside of the transfer space. For example, the optical window is disposed so as to seal off an opening defined in the chamber wall. The laser measuring instrument irradiates a laser light through the optical window and towards the table, receives reflected light from the table, and measures the position of the table.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a temperature-controllable stage, which includes: a disc-shaped plate having a front surface on which a substrate is mounted and a rear surface; a heat exchanger configured to individually supply a heat exchange medium to a plurality of regions two-dimensionally arranged to face the rear surface of the plate and configured to individually recover the heat exchange medium supplied to the regions, the plurality of regions being obtained by dividing a plurality of zones defined to face the rear surface of the plate in the heat exchanger; and a plurality of valve units configured to control, for each of the plurality of zones, the supply or cutoff of the heat exchange medium to the plurality of regions by the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A bypass route is provided in order to transfer a substrate without passing through the atmospheric pressure transfer chamber, that is, a loader module, from a load lock chamber to a storage. In the bypass route, a sub-transfer unit for transferring the processed substrate from the load lock chamber to the storage is provided. The sub-transfer unit transfers the processed substrate from the load lock chamber to the storage, and a main transfer unit of the loader module returns the processed substrate from the storage to a transport container on holding stage.

Abstract: Provided is a conveyance system that adjusts the position of a conveyed substrate, prevents damage resulting from the heat of another apparatus in a conveyance base, prevents insufficient electrical power of another apparatus in the conveyance base, and can move the conveyance base smoothly. A substrate processing system is provided with a conveyance chamber and a sliding box moving within the conveyance chamber. A plurality of processing modules are connected, and the sliding box is provided with: a conveyance arm that moves wafers; a servo motor that moves the conveyance arm; and a servo motor driver that controls the electrical power supplied to the servo motor. A servo motor controller that controls the servo motor driver is disposed outside a transfer module, and the servo motor driver and servo motor controller perform optical communication.

Abstract: A bearing mechanism includes: a bearing that includes an inner and outer races, the outer race facing the inner race and a rolling element being interposed between the inner and outer races; a magnet that includes a first and second magnetic poles and extends between the first and second magnetic poles along an axial direction of the bearing, the first magnetic pole being in contact with an end surface of the outer race and the second magnetic pole opposing the first magnetic pole; a yoke that forms a magnetic circuit together with the bearing and the magnet, the yoke extending between the second magnetic pole and an end surface of the inner race so that the yoke is in contact with the second magnetic pole and faces the end surface of the inner race with a gap interposed therebetween; and a magnetic fluid held by the magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A conveyance device, which conveys wafers in a casing 30, includes a primary blowing fan 17 that generates airflow within the casing 30 in a first direction; a discharge opening 26 that is located at a downstream side of the airflow generated by the primary blowing fan 17, is interconnected with the interior of the casing 30, and discharges gases at the interior of the casing 30 outside of the casing 30; a base 18d that is supported by a gate-shaped conveyance arm 22 disposed within the casing 30 and moves within the casing 30 at the upstream side of the discharge opening 26 and at the downstream side of the primary blowing fan 17; an end effector 21 that is located at the base 18d and that carries wafers; and a blowing fan 19 that is located at the base and that generates airflow in the first direction.

Abstract: A transfer device can control a posture of a holding table accurately and prevent the holding table from wobbling even when the holding table is moved at a high speed. A first posture holding link 56 and a second posture holding link 57 are provided at the transfer device. One end of the first posture holding link 56 and one end of the second posture holding link 57 are rotatably connected to a connecting shaft 53. Rails 51 and 52 are fastened to a base plate 27 of the holding table 21. Rollers 54 and 55 are connected to the connecting shaft 53 to be rotated about an axis line. The rollers 54 and 55 are in contact with roller driving portions 51a and 52a. When the holding table 21 is moved, the rollers 54 and 55 are rotated on the roller driving portions 51a and 52a.

Abstract: A stage includes a plate and a heat exchanger. The plate has a front surface, on which a substrate is mounted, and a rear surface. The heat exchanger is configured to individually supply a heat exchange medium to a plurality of two-dimensionally distributed and mutually non-inclusive regions of the rear surface of the plate and to recover the heat exchange medium thus supplied.

Abstract: A conveyance device, which conveys wafers in a casing 30, includes a primary blowing fan 17 that generates airflow within the casing 30 in a first direction; a discharge opening 26 that is located at a downstream side of the airflow generated by the primary blowing fan 17, is interconnected with the interior of the casing 30, and discharges gases at the interior of the casing 30 outside of the casing 30; a base 18d that is supported by a gate-shaped conveyance arm 22 disposed within the casing 30 and moves within the casing 30 at the upstream side of the discharge opening 26 and at the downstream side of the primary blowing fan 17; an end effector 21 that is located at the base 18d and that carries wafers; and a blowing fan 19 that is located at the base and that generates airflow in the first direction.

Abstract: A transfer device configured by connecting a plurality of housing-shaped transfer units in series includes: a pair of coil arrays including a plurality of coils arranged in the transfer units along an arrangement direction of the transfer units; a transfer base disposed between the coil arrays; and a plurality of fitting parts installed in one to one correspondence with the coils, the fitting parts being interposed between the coils and inner wall surfaces of the transfer units, wherein the transfer base has magnets facing the coil arrays, a plurality of through holes are formed in one to one correspondence with the coils in each of the transfer units, each of the fitting parts has a bar-shaped protrusion configured to be inserted into a corresponding one of the through holes, and a sealing member is interposed between the protrusion and the corresponding one of the through holes.

Abstract: A transfer device includes: a transfer unit configured to transfer a substrate from a transfer original position to a corrected transfer destination position; a plurality of position detecting units installed between the transfer original position and the corrected transfer destination position and configured to detect a position of the substrate which is being transferred by the transfer unit; and a control unit configured to calculate the corrected transfer destination position by correcting an initial transfer destination position set at the start of the transfer of the substrate, based on the position of the substrate detected by the position detecting units, before the substrate is transferred to the initial transfer destination position, and configured to control the transfer unit to transfer the substrate to the corrected transfer destination position along a transfer path produced by modifying an initial transfer path.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a maintenance system, installed in a substrate processing device, is comprised of an equipment control unit, a sensor acquisition unit and determination unit and control signal generation unit. The equipment control unit operates the monitored equipment within the substrate processing device. The sensor acquisition unit and determination unit can detect when a person has entered the substrate processing device. The control signal generation unit outputs a signal to stop the monitored equipment when a person is detected within the substrate processing device.

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.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a substrate transfer device is equipped with a chamber wall, a table, a linear motor transfer mechanism, an optical window, and a laser measuring instrument. The chamber wall defines a transfer space. The table is housed within the transfer space. It is possible for a substrate to be loaded on the table. The linear motor transfer mechanism moves the table within the transfer space, by a linear motor. The optical window is installed between the transfer space and the space to the outside of the transfer space. For example, the optical window is disposed so as to seal off an opening defined in the chamber wall. The laser measuring instrument irradiates a laser light through the optical window and towards the table, receives reflected light from the table, and measures the position of the table.

Abstract: A bevel/backside polymer removing method removes multi-layered bevel/backside polymers adhering to a bevel surface and a backside of a target substrate. The multi-layered bevel/backside polymers include an inorganic layer and an organic layer. The bevel/backside polymer removing method includes mechanically destroying the multi-layered bevel/backside polymers and heating residues of the multi-layered bevel/backside polymers mechanically destroyed.