Substrate holder stocker device, substrate processing apparatus, and substrate holder moving method using the substrate holder stocker device

摘要

A substrate holder stocker device capable of reducing foot print is provided. The device includes: a movable table A which holds a plurality of substrate holders side by side in a plate thickness direction thereof and moves back and forth; a movable table B which is provided parallel to the movable table A and holds a plurality of the substrate holders side by side in a plate thickness direction thereof, and which moves back and forth; and an inter-table transfer mechanism for allowing the substrate holder which is held by one of the movable tables A and B stopped at predetermined positions to be held by the other of the movable tables A and B.

主权项

1. A substrate holder stocker device for storing substrate holders to be transferred in a process chamber that performs a vacuum processing on a substrate, comprising:
a chamber which is connected with the process chamber; a first movable holding unit which is provided in the chamber and configured to allow holding of a plurality of the substrate holders side by side in a first direction in a plane intersecting a direction of gravitational force, and which can move back and forth in the first direction; a second movable holding unit which is provided parallel to the first movable holding unit in the chamber and configured to allow holding of a plurality of the substrate holders side by side in the first direction, and which can move back and forth in the first direction; and two or more inter-table transfer units, each of which is provided in the chamber and configured to move one of the substrate holders held at a predetermined holding position of one of the first and the second movable holding units in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the first direction in the plane, so as to make an other of the first and the second movable holding units hold the one of the substrate holders when the first and the second movable holding units are stopped at predetermined positions, wherein the first movable holding unit and the second movable holding unit are configured to move in parallel and independently along the first direction in a state where the first movable holding unit has a portion overlapping the second movable holding unit in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the first direction in the plane, and wherein the two or more inter-table transfer units are configured to be located below the overlapping portion in the direction of gravitational force.