| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To enable a substrate to be removed from a container without rubbing against the same, by a method wherein the end part of a carrying arm is abutted against a reference position near the opening of a substrate container, and the arm is moved downward to a given position and moved upward by a given amount after the fact that the arm has moved downward by a given amount is detected. CONSTITUTION:A glass substrate 10 as a mask or the like is horizontally housed in each of a plurality of cassettes held being vertically aligned with each other by means of a cartidge. Fork portions 16a, 16b of an arm 16 are inserted into the space between a bottom lid 3 of the cassette and the substrate 10 by driving a two- dimensional moving means, and the substrate 10 is sucked through suction holes 17 provided in the fork portions and drawn out. In this inserting and removing operation, with the fork ends slightly inserted, the arm is moved downward. When a limit switch 50 detects that the arm 16 has moved downward by a given amount (h), the downward movement of the arm 16 is stopped. Then, the arm 16 is moved upward to a halfway position of the gap (t) between the substrate 10 and the upper surface 3c of the bottom lid. Thereby, it is possible to remove the substrate 10 from the cassette for transfer without rubbing, thereby to prevent dust from adhering to a mask or the like as well as production of flaws thereon. |
