Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus includes: treatment parts each of which performs a predetermined treatment; and a transfer mechanism which transfers a transfer object. Transfer objects are transferred in a predetermined transfer-in order into the substrate treatment apparatus. The substrate treatment apparatus includes a controller which acquires a process job. The controller determines before starting transfer of one transfer object to the treatment part, when the process job is different between the one transfer object and a preceding transfer object transferred into the substrate treatment apparatus prior to the one transfer object and a same kind of treatment is included in the respective process jobs thereof, a possibility of performing preceding execution of executing the same kind of treatment on the one transfer object previous to completion of the same kind of treatment on the preceding transfer object.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a carrier block that disposes a carrier; a processing block including a processing module that processes a substrate; a carry-in port and a carry-out port; a substrate discharge port and a substrate reception port provided in the carrier block and mounts the carrier thereon; a first temporary carrier mount stage and a second temporary carrier mount stage that temporarily mount the carrier thereon; a carrier transfer mechanism that transfers the carrier among the carry-in port, the carry-out port, the substrate reception port, the substrate discharge port, the first temporary carrier mount stage, and the second temporary carrier mount stage; and a controller that compares a transfer time via the first temporary carrier mount stage and a transfer time via the second temporary carrier mount stage, and output a control signal for controlling an operation of the carrier transfer mechanism.

Abstract: A substrate transfer method performed in a substrate processing apparatus including a transfer mechanism group configured to transfer a substrate into a carrier via a module group and an exposure apparatus is provided. The transfer mechanism group includes a first transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate in an order of the pre-stage module, the exposure apparatus, and a first post-stage module, and a second transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate in an order of the first post-stage module, a heating module, a developing module, and a second post-stage module, a post-stage transfer mechanism. The substrate transfer method includes comparing an exposure apparatus cycle time with a section transfer time required to transfer the substrate from a transfer section by the second transfer mechanism to a transfer section by the post-stage transfer mechanism; and setting the section transfer time based on a result of the comparing.

Abstract: A substrate transfer method performed in a substrate processing apparatus including a transfer mechanism group configured to transfer a substrate into a carrier via a module group and an exposure apparatus is provided. The transfer mechanism group includes a first transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate in an order of a pre-stage module, the exposure apparatus, and a first post-stage module, and a second transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate in an order of the first post-stage module, a heating module, a developing module, and a second post-stage module, and a post-stage transfer mechanism. The substrate transfer method includes acquiring a section transfer time required to transfer the substrate to a next transfer section; and performing a carry-in or a carry-out of the substrate into/from the exposure apparatus based on a maximum section transfer time, which is the longest in the acquired section transfer times.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a group of modules including a plurality of processing modules that process a substrate and a plurality of relay modules on which the substrates are disposed to be transferred among the plurality of processing modules; a plurality of transfer mechanisms that transfer the substrates in an assigned section of a transfer path; a shared transfer mechanism shared for transfer in a first section and a second section separated from each other in the transfer path of the substrate; and a determination unit that determines a transfer destination of the substrates by the shared transfer mechanism between the first relay module and the second relay module based on a transfer status of the substrate in each section.

Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus includes: treatment parts each of which performs a predetermined treatment; and a transfer mechanism which transfers a transfer object. Transfer objects are transferred in a predetermined transfer-in order into the substrate treatment apparatus. The substrate treatment apparatus includes a controller which acquires a process job. The controller determines before starting transfer of one transfer object to the treatment part, when the process job is different between the one transfer object and a preceding transfer object transferred into the substrate treatment apparatus prior to the one transfer object and a same kind of treatment is included in the respective process jobs thereof, a possibility of performing preceding execution of executing the same kind of treatment on the one transfer object previous to completion of the same kind of treatment on the preceding transfer object.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing block in which a substrate is sequentially transferred and processed; a carry-in/out transfer mechanism that carrys-in/out the substrate with respect to modules; a carry-out module configured to place the substrate therein after the substrate is processed; a multi-module configured by a plurality of modules having a same order in which the substrate is transferred in the processing block; a main transfer mechanism that moves around in a transfer path provided in the processing block to deliver the substrate among the modules; and a controller that sets a first transfer schedule including determination of a number of modules to become transfer destinations of the substrate in the multi-module, and determination of a number of stay cycles which is a number of times that the main transfer mechanism moves around after the substrate is carried into the multi-module until the substrate is carried out.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a plurality of unit blocks, each having a plurality of modules for processing substrates and a substrate transfer path; a plurality of main transfer mechanisms, each being provided on the substrate transfer path, and configured to transfer the substrates among the plurality of modules; a loading and unloading transfer mechanism configured to load and unload the substrates with respect to each of the unit blocks; a memory configured to store substrate transfer history for each of the unit blocks; and a setting part configured to update a cycle time, which is a time required for a corresponding one of the main transfer mechanisms to move around the substrate transfer path once, of each of the unit blocks based on the substrate transfer history, and configured to set a transfer schedule of the substrates in each of the unit blocks based on the updated cycle time.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a plurality of unit blocks, each having a plurality of modules for processing substrates and a substrate transfer path; a plurality of main transfer mechanisms, each being provided on the substrate transfer path, and configured to transfer the substrates among the plurality of modules; a loading and unloading transfer mechanism configured to load and unload the substrates with respect to each of the unit blocks; a memory configured to store substrate transfer history for each of the unit blocks; and a setting part configured to update a cycle time, which is a time required for a corresponding one of the main transfer mechanisms to move around the substrate transfer path once, of each of the unit blocks based on the substrate transfer history, and configured to set a transfer schedule of the substrates in each of the unit blocks based on the updated cycle time.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing block in which a substrate is sequentially transferred and processed; a carry-in/out transfer mechanism that carrys-in/out the substrate with respect to modules; a carry-out module configured to place the substrate therein after the substrate is processed; a multi-module configured by a plurality of modules having a same order in which the substrate is transferred in the processing block; a main transfer mechanism that moves around in a transfer path provided in the processing block to deliver the substrate among the modules; and a controller that sets a first transfer schedule including determination of a number of modules to become transfer destinations of the substrate in the multi-module, and determination of a number of stay cycles which is a number of times that the main transfer mechanism moves around after the substrate is carried into the multi-module until the substrate is carried out.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a control unit performing loading substrates into a second unit block when a trouble occurs in a module of a first unit block; determining whether it is before a leading substrate of a next lot of the lot where a standby substrate positioned in upper stream side than the troubled module belongs is loaded into the module in the uppermost stage of the second unit block; loading the standby substrate into the module in the uppermost stage of the second unit block when determined it is before the loading of the leading substrate and loading the standby substrate into the module in the uppermost stage of the second unit block after a rearmost substrate of the next lot is loaded into the module in the uppermost stage of the second unit block when determined otherwise; and performing a series of processing on the standby substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed equipped with a transfer mechanism that transfers a substrate processed at a processing block to a carrier so that the increase of the number of transfer process is suppressed, improving the processing efficiency. The substrate processing apparatus is configured in such a way that, when a second-transfer module houses at least one substrate and a carrier that can house the at least one substrate is not placed in a carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to a buffer module. When the second transfer module houses at least one substrate and the carrier that can house the at least one substrate is placed in the carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to the carrier, regardless of whether or not a substrate is being transferred from the buffer module to the carrier.

Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus in which after a module is disabled, a substrate is provided to a carry-in module capable of placing the wafers most rapidly in the plurality of unit blocks and the substrates are sequentially transported to the module group by the transportation means to be delivered to the carry-out module according to a providing sequence of the substrate to the carry-in module in each of the plurality of unit blocks. In particular, the substrates are extracted from the carry-out module according to a providing sequence of the substrate to the carry-in module and transported to a rear module or a substrate placing part. Thereafter, the substrates are transported to the rear module from the carry-out module or the substrate placing part according to a predetermined sequence in which the substrate is provided to the carry-in module in a normal state.

Abstract: A substrate processing system, which repeats a carrying cycle in which a substrate is carried sequentially in a carrying order indicated by module numbers assigned to the modules, respectively, from the module of a lower module number to that of a higher module number, and is capable of processing substrates at a high throughput even if some modules become unusable and, thereafter, become usable. A controller controls a carrier such that the carrier carries a substrate taken out from the module preceding a multimodule unit including a plurality of modules to the module nest in the carrying order to the module of the multimodule unit from which a substrate is carried out at time nearest to time when the substrate was carried out from the module preceding the multimodule.

Abstract: Even when a module constituting a multi-module becomes an unavailable module, transfer of substrates can be promptly performed, while restricting generation of inferior products. When a destination module of a multi-module becomes unavailable before a substrate is transferred to the destination module, a destination of the substrate is changed to a module to which a substrate subsequent to the substrate is to be loaded. Upon generation of an unavailable module, before the transfer unit accesses the module on an upstream end of the transfer cycle, the transfer cycle proceeds until a precedent substrate becomes ready to be unloaded from the changed destination module. Alternatively, upon generation of an unavailable module, when the transfer unit is located on an upstream side of the unavailable module in the transfer cycle, the transfer operation of the transfer unit is made standby until a precedent substrate becomes ready to be unloaded in the changed destination module.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed equipped with a transfer mechanism that transfers a substrate processed at a processing block to a carrier so that the increase of the number of transfer process is suppressed, improving the processing efficiency. The substrate processing apparatus is configured in such a way that, when a second-transfer module houses at least one substrate and a carrier that can house the at least one substrate is not placed in a carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to a buffer module. When the second transfer module houses at least one substrate and the carrier that can house the at least one substrate is placed in the carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to the carrier, regardless of whether or not a substrate is being transferred from the buffer module to the carrier.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed equipped with a transfer mechanism that transfers a substrate processed at a processing block to a carrier so that the increase of the number of transfer process is suppressed, improving the processing efficiency. The substrate processing apparatus is configured in such a way that, when a second-transfer module houses at least one substrate and a carrier that can house the at least one substrate is not placed in a carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to a buffer module. When the second transfer module houses at least one substrate and the carrier that can house the at least one substrate is placed in the carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to the carrier, regardless of whether or not a substrate is being transferred from the buffer module to the carrier.

Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus in which after a module is disabled, a substrate is provided to a carry-in module capable of placing the wafers most rapidly in the plurality of unit blocks and the substrates are sequentially transported to the module group by the transportation means to be delivered to the carry-out module according to a providing sequence of the substrate to the carry-in module in each of the plurality of unit blocks. In particular, the substrates are extracted from the carry-out module according to a providing sequence of the substrate to the carry-in module and transported to a rear module or a substrate placing part. Thereafter, the substrates are transported to the rear module from the carry-out module or the substrate placing part according to a predetermined sequence in which the substrate is provided to the carry-in module in a normal state.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed equipped with a transfer mechanism that transfers a substrate processed at a processing block to a carrier so that the increase of the number of transfer process is suppressed, improving the processing efficiency. The substrate processing apparatus is configured in such a way that, when a second-transfer module houses at least one substrate and a carrier that can house the at least one substrate is not placed in a carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to a buffer module. When the second transfer module houses at least one substrate and the carrier that can house the at least one substrate is placed in the carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to the carrier, regardless of whether or not a substrate is being transferred from the buffer module to the carrier.

Abstract: A substrate processing system, which repeats a carrying cycle in which a substrate is carried sequentially in carrying order indicated by module numbers assigned to the modules, respectively, from the module of a lower module number to that of a higher module number, is capable of processing substrates at a high throughput even if some module becomes unusable and, thereafter, becomes usable. A controller controls a carrying means such that the carrying means carries a substrate taken out from the module preceding a multimodule unit including a plurality of modules to the module nest in carrying order to the module of the multimodule unit from which a substrate is carried out at time nearest to time when the substrate was carried out from the module preceding the multimodule.