Abstract: A substrate transport device includes an arm, an end effector coupled to the arm, a driver configured to lift the arm so that the end effector receives a substrate, and a controller configured to control an output of the driver to change a lifting speed of the arm. While lifting the arm at a first speed to lift the end effector toward the substrate, the controller changes the lifting speed to a second speed that is lower than the first speed when the end effector starts to raise a height position of the substrate.

Abstract: A substrate transport device includes an arm, an end effector coupled to the arm, a driver configured to lift the arm so that the end effector receives a substrate, and a controller configured to control an output of the driver to set a lifting speed of the arm. A difference in height between the end effector and the arm is a position difference. A period from when the end effector contacts the substrate until the end effector completes reception of the substrate is a transition period. The controller sets an upper limit value of the lifting speed that decreases an amplitude of one of acceleration or jerk of the position difference in the transition period as compared to before the transition period to an upper limit value of the lifting speed for the transition period.

Abstract: A substrate transport device includes an arm, an end effector coupled to the arm, a driver configured to lift the arm so that the end effector receives a substrate, and a controller configured to control an output of the driver to set a lifting speed of the arm. A difference in height between the end effector and the arm is a position difference. A period from when the end effector contacts the substrate until the end effector completes reception of the substrate is a transition period. The controller sets an upper limit value of the lifting speed that decreases an amplitude of one of acceleration or jerk of the position difference in the transition period as compared to before the transition period to an upper limit value of the lifting speed for the transition period.

Abstract: A substrate transport device includes an arm, an end effector coupled to the arm, a driver configured to lift the arm so that the end effector receives a substrate, and a controller configured to control an output of the driver to change a lifting speed of the arm. While lifting the arm at a first speed to lift the end effector toward the substrate, the controller changes the lifting speed to a second speed that is lower than the first speed when the end effector starts to raise a height position of the substrate.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus having a small installation area is provided. A lifting plate is arranges inside a vacuum chamber, and a substrate holding device is arranged on the lifting plate to be able to be lifted up and down. An upper side processing device and a lower side processing device are provided in a processing region located beside a lifting region where the lifting plate moves up and down. An upper side moving device and a lower side moving device make the substrate holding device pass through the processing region, and a transfer device transfers the substrate holding device between the upper side moving device or the lower side moving device and the lifting plate. Because vacuum processing can be performed on the upper side and the lower side, the installation area of the vacuum processing apparatus is small.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus having a small installation area is provided. A lifting plate is arranges inside a vacuum chamber, and a substrate holding device is arranged on the lifting plate to be able to be lifted up and down. An upper side processing device and a lower side processing device are provided in a processing region located beside a lifting region where the lifting plate moves up and down. An upper side moving device and a lower side moving device make the substrate holding device pass through the processing region, and a transfer device transfers the substrate holding device between the upper side moving device or the lower side moving device and the lifting plate. Because vacuum processing can be performed on the upper side and the lower side, the installation area of the vacuum processing apparatus is small.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a seal mechanism that reduces a maintenance frequency for replenishment of a lubricating material and has small friction resistance, and a treatment apparatus equipped with the seal mechanism. [Solving Means] A lip seal (12) of a seal mechanism (100) is arranged so as to surround a drive shaft (25), and a lip portion (12b) thereof includes a seal portion (12c) that comes into contact with the drive shaft (25). A wall member (15) is attached to the drive shaft (25) so as to close a lower opening of a mounting member (30) and face the lip seal (12). By at least the mounting member (30) and the wall member (15), a container capable of accommodating a lubricating material (16) is formed. A gap (17) set such that the lubricating material (16) does not pass therethrough is provided between the wall member (15) and a holding base body (60).

Abstract: Disclosed are a substrate conveyance method and substrate conveyance system that are able to quickly transfer a substrate without losing positional accuracy. Using an electrostatic chuck mechanism in the holding of a wafer (W) by the holding surface (210) of a conveyance robot, the wafer (W) is transferred from a supporting surface (303) to the holding surface (210) in the state where an electrostatic attraction force is generated at the holding surface (210). As a result, since it is possible to hold the wafer by means of the electrostatic attraction force starting immediately after the wafer (W) has been transferred to the holding surface (210), it is possible to rapidly execute a wafer (W) conveying operation and thus it is possible to reduce the conveying time of the wafer between processing chambers.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a wafer conveyance method and a wafer conveyance system that are able to quickly transfer a wafer without losing positional accuracy. [Solving Means] Using an electrostatic chuck mechanism in the holding of a wafer (W) by the holding surface (210) of a conveyance robot, the wafer (W) is transferred from a supporting surface (303) to the holding surface (210) in the state where an electrostatic attraction force is generated at the holding surface (210). As a result, since it is possible to hold the wafer by means of the electrostatic attraction force starting immediately after the wafer (W) has been transferred to the holding surface (210), it is possible to rapidly execute a wafer (W) conveying operation and thus it is possible to reduce the conveying time of the wafer between processing chambers.

Abstract: A compact transport apparatus that does not cause pollution to its environment is provided. In a transport apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention, an installation area of the apparatus is small because first and second rotary shafts are arranged concentrically, and a dead center escaping mechanism has a simple structure with a small thickness. Since a connecting portion of a hand portion can be made thin, an opening of a gate valve through which the hand portion is inserted can be reduced. As a result, it becomes difficult for dust inside a transport chamber to enter a processing chamber. A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a spaced dual shaft-type transport apparatus.

Abstract: There are provided a rotation introduction mechanism which transmits a rotating motion on the atmosphere side into vacuum, is arranged simply, has a low sliding resistance, and has a long life, a substrate transfer apparatus, a substrate transfer apparatus having a small pivot radius and generating a smaller amount of dusts, and a vacuum processing apparatus. A lubricant holding member is attached to a vacuum seal mechanism. The substrate transfer apparatus is arranged such that a first link mechanism includes a first arm and a fourth arm, a second link mechanism includes a second arm and a third arm, the first arm is fixedly attached to a first drive shaft, the first arm is fixedly attached to a second drive shaft, the third arm is rotatably attached to the first drive shaft, and the fourth arm is rotatably attached to the second drive shaft. The vacuum processing apparatus includes the substrate transfer apparatus.

Abstract: A holding apparatus, a conveying apparatus, and a rotation-transmitting apparatus are provided that are capable of stably holding an object while suppressing an influence of a change in shape of the object and a fluctuation of a holding form. A conveying apparatus according to one form of the present invention includes a hand and a holding body provided on the hand. The holding body includes a holding member that includes a holding surface that comes into close contact with a holding object, the holding member being capable of holding a conveying object on the holding surface, and a viscoelastic member that is formed of a viscoelastic material and bonds the hand to the holding member. By the viscoelastic member being elastically deformed and the entire surface of the holding member being brought into close contact with the holding object, the conveying apparatus is capable of holding the conveying object on the hand.

Abstract: The backing pressure of an ink tank is controlled. The ink tank is connected to a pressure control apparatus. The pressure control apparatus has first and second check valves. When the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes smaller than that of outside atmosphere by a first predetermined pressure or more, the first check valve is switched into an open state to connect the outside atmosphere and the ink tank. To the contrary, when the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes larger than that of outside atmosphere by a second predetermined pressure or more, the second check valve is switched to an open state to connect the ink tank with the outside atmosphere. Therefore, the internal pressure of the ink tank is controlled precisely enough to stabilize the meniscus.

Abstract: A holding apparatus, a conveying apparatus, and a rotation-transmitting apparatus are provided that are capable of holding an object in a tiltable manner. A conveying apparatus according to one form of the present invention includes a pad supported by a supporting member on a hand. A concave portion is formed on the pad, and by the concave portion engaging with the supporting member fixed to the hand, a pad is supported in a tiltable manner. A conveying object is held by an adhesive layer of the pad adhering thereto. By tilting with respect to the hand , the pad follows the shape or vibration of the conveying object, with the result that the conveying object can be conveyed stably.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a seal mechanism that reduces a maintenance frequency for replenishment of a lubricating material and has small friction resistance, and a treatment apparatus equipped with the seal mechanism. [Solving Means] A lip seal (12) of a seal mechanism (100) is arranged so as to surround a drive shaft (25), and a lip portion (12b) thereof includes a seal portion (12c) that comes into contact with the drive shaft (25). A wall member (15) is attached to the drive shaft (25) so as to close a lower opening of a mounting member (30) and face the lip seal (12). By at least the mounting member (30) and the wall member (15), a container capable of accommodating a lubricating material (16) is formed. A gap (17) set such that the lubricating material (16) does not pass therethrough is provided between the wall member (15) and a holding base body (60).

Abstract: The backing pressure of an ink tank is controlled. The ink tank is connected to a pressure control apparatus. The pressure control apparatus has first and second check valves. When the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes smaller than that of outside atmosphere by a first predetermined pressure or more, the first check valve is switched into an open state to connect the outside atmosphere and the ink tank. To the contrary, when the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes larger than that of outside atmosphere by a second predetermined pressure or more, the second check valve is switched to an open state to connect the ink tank with the outside atmosphere. Therefore, the internal pressure of the ink tank is controlled precisely enough to stabilize the meniscus.

Abstract: There is provided an inexpensive stage which is equipped with an alignment function and is capable of easily performing high-accuracy alignment especially in a ? direction even in case an object to be processed is large in weight. The stage equipped with an alignment function has a stage main body for holding a substrate while leaving a processing surface thereof open to access. The stage is provided with: a suction means capable of sucking that surface of the substrate which lies opposite to the processing surface; a gas supply means for supplying a gas to such a region of the substrate as is other than a portion sucked by the suction means; and a drive means to give a rotating force to the suction means so that the substrate can be rotated on the same plane by causing the suction means to serve as the center of rotation.

Abstract: There are provided a rotation introduction mechanism which transmits a rotating motion on the atmosphere side into vacuum, is arranged simply, has a low sliding resistance, and has a long life, a substrate transfer apparatus, a substrate transfer apparatus having a small pivot radius and generating a smaller amount of dusts, and a vacuum processing apparatus. A lubricant holding member is attached to a vacuum seal mechanism. The substrate transfer apparatus is arranged such that a first link mechanism includes a first arm and a fourth arm, a second link mechanism includes a second arm and a third arm, the first arm is fixedly attached to a first drive shaft, the first arm is fixedly attached to a second drive shaft, the third arm is rotatably attached to the first drive shaft, and the fourth arm is rotatably attached to the second drive shaft. The vacuum processing apparatus includes the substrate transfer apparatus.

Abstract: Object To provide a substrate assembly apparatus capable of simplifying a structure of the apparatus and performing appropriate detachment of a substrate constantly. Solving Means A substrate assembly apparatus according to the present invention includes a support base and a holding mechanism. The support base is for supporting a lower substrate. The holding mechanism includes a holding surface and a functional element. The holding surface is for holding an upper surface of an upper substrate. The functional element is provided on the holding surface and has a holding force variable in accordance with a magnitude of a voltage. The holding mechanism causes a lower surface of the upper substrate to face an upper surface of the lower substrate supported by the support base. With this structure, it becomes possible to electrically control the holding force with respect to the substrate and simplify the structure of the holding mechanism.

Abstract: A compact transport apparatus that does not cause pollution to its environment is provided. In a transport apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention, an installation area of the apparatus is small because first and second rotary shafts are arranged concentrically, and a dead center escaping mechanism has a simple structure with a small thickness. Since a connecting portion of a hand portion can be made thin, an opening of a gate valve through which the hand portion is inserted can be reduced. As a result, it becomes difficult for dust inside a transport chamber to enter a processing chamber. A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a spaced dual shaft-type transport apparatus.