Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, before a carrier is carried by a carrier arm, a carrier jig is held by a holding part provided to the carrier arm. First, the carrier arm is actuated to move the holding part of the carrier arm to a preset lowering start position. Then, an image including an opening in a table is taken. Thereafter, a distance between a central position of the opening and a central position of a region of the image is calculated, so as to obtain an amount of horizontal positional shift between the preset lowering start position and an ideal position. The lowering start position of the holding part is corrected by the positional shift as a correction value, whereafter the carrier is placed on the table at the corrected lowering start position.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, before a carrier is carried by a carrier arm, a carrier jig is held by a holding part provided to the carrier arm. First, the carrier arm is actuated to move the holding part of the carrier arm to a preset lowering start position. Then, an image including an opening in a table is taken. Thereafter, a distance between a central position of the opening and a central position of a region of the image is calculated, so as to obtain an amount of horizontal positional shift between the preset lowering start position and an ideal position. The lowering start position of the holding part is corrected by the positional shift as a correction value, whereafter the carrier is placed on the table at the corrected lowering start position.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to achieve more accurate and facilitated positioning of a carrier onto a table, in a substrate processing apparatus configured for placing the carrier storing multiple sheets of wafers therein, on the table, by using a carrier arm. Before the carrier is actually carried by the carrier arm, a carrier jig having the same shape as the carrier is held by a holding part provided to the carrier arm. The carrier jig is provided with a camera, such that a central position of a region of an image taken by the camera will be coincident with a central position of an opening formed in the table, if the carrier jig is accurately located in an ideal position above the table. First, the carrier arm is actuated to move the holding part of the carrier arm to a preset lowering start position. Then, the image of the region including the opening is taken by the camera.

Abstract: A workpiece transfer mechanism 76 transfers workpieces W to a workpiece boat 40 having ringlike tables 86. The transfer mechanism 76 includes a fork main body 78 being movable forward and rearward with the workpiece W placed thereon; stopper members 94 provided at the end portion of the fork main body 78; clamp means 96 provided on the proximal end side of the fork main body 78 and having a pressing portion 102 coming into contact with the circumferential edge of the workpiece W and pressing the workpiece W toward the stopper member 94 for clamping; and fork elevating means 80 for lifting and lowering the fork main body 78. When the workpieces W are transferred to a workpiece boat 40, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 is controlled so as not to be inserted into a gap between tables 86. Thus, although the pitch between the tables 86 is small, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 does not interfere with the workpiece boat 40.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to achieve more accurate and facilitated positioning of a carrier onto a table, in a substrate processing apparatus configured for placing the carrier storing multiple sheets of wafers therein, on the table, by using a carrier arm. Before the carrier is actually carried by the carrier arm, a carrier jig having the same shape as the carrier is held by a holding part provided to the carrier arm. The carrier jig is provided with a camera, such that a central position of a region of an image taken by the camera will be coincident with a central position of an opening formed in the table, if the carrier jig is accurately located in an ideal position above the table. First, the carrier arm is actuated to move the holding part of the carrier arm to a preset lowering start position. Then, the image of the region including the opening is taken by the camera.

Abstract: A workpiece transfer mechanism 76 transfers workpieces W to a workpiece boat 40 having ringlike tables 86. The transfer mechanism 76 includes a fork main body 78 being movable forward and rearward with the workpiece W placed thereon; stopper members 94 provided at the end portion of the fork main body 78; clamp means 96 provided on the proximal end side of the fork main body 78 and having a pressing portion 102 coming into contact with the circumferential edge of the workpiece W and pressing the workpiece W toward the stopper member 94 for clamping; and fork elevating means 80 for lifting and lowering the fork main body 78. When the workpieces W are transferred to a workpiece boat 40, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 is controlled so as not to be inserted into a gap between tables 86. Thus, although the pitch between the tables 86 is small, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 does not interfere with the workpiece boat 40.