阅读说明：本技术 基片处理装置和基片处理方法 (Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method ) 是由 原田浩树 辻桥辰彦 林德太郎 大塚豪 川口裕治 于 2021-05-27 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供能够提高将基片载置在基片处理部内时的定心精度的基片处理装置和基片处理方法。本发明的一个方式的基片处理装置包括基片处理部、基片输送部、第1检测部、第2检测部和第3检测部。基片处理部用于保持基片并对基片进行处理。基片输送部具有转动轴,用于将基片送入基片处理部。第1检测部在沿着行进方向将基片送入基片处理部时,检测行进方向上的基片输送部相对于基片处理部的位置。第2检测部检测与行进方向垂直的方向上的基片输送部相对于基片处理部的位置。第3检测部检测基片输送部的转动轴相对于基片处理部的倾斜度。(The invention provides a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of improving centering precision when a substrate is placed in a substrate processing part. A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate processing unit, a substrate transport unit, a 1 st detection unit, a 2 nd detection unit, and a 3 rd detection unit. The substrate processing section holds and processes a substrate. The substrate conveying section has a rotary shaft for feeding the substrate into the substrate processing section. The 1 st detection unit detects a position of the substrate transport unit with respect to the substrate processing unit in the traveling direction when the substrate is fed into the substrate processing unit in the traveling direction. The 2 nd detection unit detects a position of the substrate transport unit with respect to the substrate processing unit in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction. The 3 rd detecting part detects the inclination of the rotating shaft of the substrate conveying part relative to the substrate processing part.)

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:

a substrate processing section for holding and processing a substrate;

a substrate conveying section having a rotation shaft for feeding the substrate into the substrate processing section;

a 1 st detection unit for detecting a position of the substrate transport unit with respect to the substrate processing unit in a traveling direction when the substrate is fed into the substrate processing unit in the traveling direction;

a 2 nd detection unit for detecting a position of the substrate transport unit with respect to the substrate processing unit in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction; and

a 3 rd detecting part for detecting an inclination of the rotation axis of the substrate conveying part with respect to the substrate processing part.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the 3 rd detecting unit is arranged so as not to be aligned in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction with respect to the 2 nd detecting unit.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

the 1 st detecting part and the 2 nd detecting part are provided adjacent to the carry-in port of the substrate processing part,

the 3 rd detecting part is provided inside or outside the 1 st detecting part and the 2 nd detecting part with respect to the substrate processing part.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd detection parts are all optical sensors having a light emitting part and a light receiving part,

when the position of the substrate conveying part is detected, the light emitting part and the light receiving part are arranged with a through hole provided in the substrate conveying part interposed therebetween.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

a plurality of through holes are provided at positions corresponding to the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd detecting portions.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

also comprises a control part for controlling each part,

the control part is used for controlling the operation of the motor,

when the substrate is fed into the substrate processing section by the substrate transport section, the position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in the traveling direction, the position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, and the inclination of the rotational axis of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section are detected by the 1 st detection section, the 2 nd detection section, and the 3 rd detection section,

calculating a correction amount for a reference position based on the respective detection values detected by the 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd detection units,

based on the calculated correction amount, the position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in the traveling direction and the position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction are corrected.

7. A method of processing a substrate, comprising:

a detection step of detecting a position of a substrate transport section with respect to a substrate processing section in a traveling direction, a position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in the traveling direction, a position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, and an inclination of the rotational axis of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section, when a substrate is fed into the substrate processing section in the traveling direction using the substrate transport section having a rotational axis;

a calculation step of calculating a correction amount for a reference position based on each detection value detected in the detection step; and

a correction step of correcting a position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in the traveling direction and a position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, based on the correction amount calculated in the calculation step.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method.

Background

Conventionally, there is known a technique of loading a substrate into a substrate processing unit for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, also referred to as a wafer) and placing the substrate in the substrate processing unit (see patent document 1).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2018-137383

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

The invention provides a technology capable of improving centering precision when a substrate is loaded in a substrate processing part.

Means for solving the problems

A substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate processing unit, a substrate transport unit, a 1 st detection unit, a 2 nd detection unit, and a 3 rd detection unit. The substrate processing section holds and processes a substrate. The substrate conveying section has a rotary shaft for feeding the substrate into the substrate processing section. The 1 st detecting section is configured to detect a position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in a traveling direction when the substrate is fed into the substrate processing section in the traveling direction. The 2 nd detection unit is configured to detect a position of the substrate transport unit with respect to the substrate processing unit in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction. The 3 rd detection part is used for detecting the inclination of the rotating shaft of the substrate conveying part relative to the substrate processing part.

Effects of the invention

The invention can improve the centering precision when the substrate is arranged in the substrate processing part.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a specific configuration example of the cleaning unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a substrate transport apparatus according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a wafer inspecting unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a substrate transport apparatus and a cleaning unit according to an embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd detecting units of the embodiment.

Fig. 7 is an arrowed sectional view of line a-a shown in fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an arrowed sectional view taken along line B-B of fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an arrowed sectional view taken along line C-C of fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining the inclination detection processing according to the embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining the inclination detection processing according to the embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining the wafer loading process according to the embodiment.

Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining the wafer loading process according to the embodiment.

Fig. 14 is a diagram for explaining the wafer loading process according to the embodiment.

Fig. 15 is a plan view showing the 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd detectors and the fork of modification 1 of the embodiment.

Fig. 16 is a plan view showing the 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd detectors and the fork of modification 2 of the embodiment.

Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing a sequence of the carry-in process executed by the substrate processing system according to the embodiment.

Description of the reference numerals

A W wafer (an example of a substrate), a 1 substrate processing system (an example of a substrate processing apparatus), a 6 control section, a 16 cleaning unit, a 17 substrate transport apparatus, a 25 fork (an example of a substrate transport section), a 28A, 28B, 28C through hole, a 51 st detection section, a 51a light emitting section, a 51B light receiving section, a 52 nd 2 detection section, a 52a light emitting section, a 52B light receiving section, a 53 rd 3 detection section, a 53a light emitting section, a 53B light receiving section, and a 72 substrate processing section.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. It is to be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the relationship of the sizes of the respective elements, the proportions of the respective elements, and the like may be different from those in reality. Further, there are cases where portions having different dimensional relationships or ratios are included between drawings.

Conventionally, there is known a technique of loading a substrate into a substrate processing unit for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, also referred to as a wafer) and placing the substrate in the substrate processing unit. However, when the orientation of the substrate transport unit into which the substrate is loaded is inclined, it is difficult to improve the accuracy of centering the substrate with respect to the substrate processing unit.

Therefore, a technique capable of improving the centering accuracy when the substrate is placed in the substrate processing section while overcoming the above-described problems has been desired.

< overview of substrate processing System >

First, a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a substrate processing system 1 according to an embodiment.

The substrate processing system 1 is an example of a substrate processing apparatus. Next, in order to clarify the positional relationship, an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis orthogonal to each other are defined, and the positive Z axis direction is a vertical upward direction.

As shown in fig. 1, a substrate processing system 1 includes an in-out station 2 and a processing station 3. The in-and-out station 2 is disposed adjacent to the processing station 3.

The carry-in and carry-out station 2 includes a carrier placing portion 11 and a conveying portion 12. The carrier placement unit 11 can place a plurality of carriers C capable of horizontally storing a plurality of substrates, semiconductor wafers W in embodiment 1 (hereinafter referred to as wafers W).

The transport unit 12 is provided adjacent to the carrier placement unit 11, and includes a substrate transport device 13 and a transfer unit 14. The substrate transport apparatus 13 includes a wafer holding mechanism for holding the wafer W. The substrate transport apparatus 13 is movable in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction and rotatable about the vertical axis, and transports the wafer W between the carrier C and the delivery portion 14 using the wafer holding mechanism.

The processing station 3 is disposed adjacent to the conveying section 12. The treatment station 3 comprises a conveyor 15 and a plurality of washing units 16. The plurality of cleaning units 16 are arranged side by side on both sides of the conveying section 15.

The conveying section 15 is internally provided with a substrate conveying device 17. The substrate transport apparatus 17 has a wafer holding mechanism for holding the wafer W. The substrate transfer device 17 is movable in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction and rotatable about the vertical axis, and transfers the wafer W between the interface portion 14 and the cleaning unit 16 using the wafer holding mechanism. The details of the substrate transport apparatus 17 will be described later.

The cleaning unit 16 is used to perform a predetermined cleaning process on the peripheral edge portion of the wafer W conveyed by the substrate conveyor 17. The details of the cleaning unit 16 will be described later.

In the present invention, the direction along the X axis is the front-rear direction, and the positive X axis direction is the front direction. In the present invention, the direction in which the send-out station 2 and the processing station 3 are arranged side by side (the direction along the Y axis in the figure) is the left-right direction, and one end side of the send-out station 2 is provided as the right side. In the present invention, the positive Y-axis direction is the right direction.

Further, the substrate processing system 1 includes a control device 5. The control device 5 is, for example, a computer, and includes a control unit 6 and a storage unit 7. The storage unit 7 stores a program for controlling various processes executed by the substrate processing system 1. The control unit 6 reads and executes the program stored in the storage unit 7 to control the operation of the substrate processing system 1.

The program may be recorded in a computer-readable storage medium, and may be installed from the storage medium to the storage unit 7 of the control device 5. Examples of the storage medium that can be read by a computer include a Hard Disk (HD), a Flexible Disk (FD), an optical disk (CD), a magneto-optical disk (MO), and a memory card.

In the substrate processing system 1 configured as described above, first, the substrate transport apparatus 13 of the carry-in/out station 2 takes out the wafers W from the carrier C placed on the carrier placement unit 11, and places the taken-out wafers W on the delivery unit 14. The wafer W placed on the transfer portion 14 is taken out of the transfer portion 14 by the substrate transfer device 17 of the processing station 3 and is carried into the cleaning unit 16.

The wafer W carried into the cleaning unit 16 is processed by the cleaning unit 16, and then carried out of the cleaning unit 16 by the substrate transfer device 17 to be placed on the delivery part 14. Then, the processed wafer W placed on the transfer portion 14 is returned to the carrier C of the carrier placement portion 11 by the substrate transport apparatus 13.

< Structure of cleaning Unit >

Next, the structure of the cleaning unit 16 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a specific configuration example of the cleaning unit 16 according to the embodiment. As shown in fig. 2, the cleaning unit 16 includes a chamber 71, a substrate processing section 72, a cleaning liquid discharge section 73, and a recovery dish 74.

The chamber 71 is for accommodating a substrate processing section 72, a cleaning liquid discharge section 73, and a recovery tray 74. A Fan Filter Unit (FFU) 71a for forming a down flow in the chamber 71 is provided at the top of the chamber 71.

The substrate processing unit 72 rotatably holds the wafer W and performs liquid processing on the held wafer W. The substrate processing section 72 includes: a holding portion 72a for horizontally holding the wafer W; a support member 72b extending in the vertical direction and supporting the holding portion 72 a; and a driving portion 72c for rotating the pillar member 72b about a vertical axis.

The holding portion 72a is connected to a suction device (not shown) such as a vacuum pump, and holds the wafer W horizontally by sucking the back surface of the wafer W by a negative pressure generated by suction of the suction device. As the holding portion 72a, for example, a porous chuck, an electrostatic chuck, or the like can be used.

The holding portion 72a has a suction region having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the wafer W. This enables the cleaning liquid discharged from the lower nozzle 73b of the cleaning liquid discharge portion 73, which will be described later, to be supplied to the back side of the peripheral edge portion of the wafer W.

The cleaning liquid discharge portion 73 has an upper nozzle 73a and a lower nozzle 73 b. The upper nozzle 73a is disposed above the wafer W held in the substrate processing section 72, and the lower nozzle 73b is disposed below the wafer W.

The cleaning liquid supply unit 75 is connected to the upper nozzle 73a and the lower nozzle 73 b. The cleaning liquid supply section 75 includes a cleaning liquid supply source 75a, a valve 75b, and a flow regulator 75c in this order from the upstream side. The cleaning liquid supply source 75a is, for example, a container (tank) for storing a cleaning liquid. The flow rate regulator 75c is for regulating the flow rate of the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply source 75a to the upper nozzle 73a and the lower nozzle 73b via the valve 75 b.

The upper nozzle 73a discharges the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply portion 75 toward the front side of the peripheral edge portion of the wafer W held by the substrate processing portion 72. The lower nozzle 73b discharges the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply portion 75 to the back side of the peripheral edge portion of the wafer W held by the substrate processing portion 72.

The cleaning liquid discharge portion 73 also includes: a 1 st moving mechanism 73c for moving the upper nozzle 73 a; and a 2 nd moving mechanism 73d for moving the lower nozzle 73 b. By moving the upper nozzle 73a and the lower nozzle 73b by using the 1 st moving mechanism 73c and the 2 nd moving mechanism 73d, the discharge position of the cleaning liquid with respect to the wafer W can be changed.

The recovery pan 74 is disposed so as to surround the substrate processing unit 72. At the bottom of the recovery dish 74, there are formed: a drain port 74a for discharging the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning liquid discharge portion 73 to the outside of the chamber 71; and an exhaust port 74b for exhausting the atmosphere in the chamber 71.

The cleaning unit 16 is configured as described above, and rotates the wafer W using the driving unit 72c after the holding unit 72a suction-holds the back surface of the wafer W.

Next, the cleaning unit 16 discharges the cleaning liquid from the upper nozzle 73a toward the front side of the peripheral edge portion of the rotating wafer W. In parallel with this discharge process, the cleaning unit 16 discharges the cleaning liquid from the lower nozzle 73b toward the back side of the peripheral edge portion of the rotating wafer W. This enables the peripheral edge portion of the wafer W to be cleaned.

< Structure of substrate transport apparatus >

Next, the structure of the substrate transport apparatus 17 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 3 to 11. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the substrate transport apparatus 17 of the embodiment. The substrate transport device 17 has 2 forks 25 (one is not shown) arranged to overlap each other. The fork 25 is an example of a substrate transport section.

One fork 25 of the 2 forks 25 is used to receive the wafer W from the module and the other fork 25 is used to hand the wafer W to the module.

The fork 25 has a main body portion 25a and a plurality of claw portions 26. The main body 25a is bifurcated from the base to the tip, and is formed into a horseshoe shape extending in the forward direction of the fork 25 so as to surround the side periphery of the wafer W. A plurality of (4 in the figure) claw portions 26 protrude toward the inside of the horseshoe-shaped body portion 25a, and support the back surface of the wafer W.

Suction holes 27 for sucking and holding the back surface of the wafer W are formed in each of the claw portions 26. When the base 24 is lowered to transfer the wafer W to the module, the suction is stopped.

Further, 3 through holes 28A, 28B, and 28C are provided on the proximal end side of the body portion 25a of the yoke 25. The through-holes 28A and 28B are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the advancing direction of the yoke 25. The through hole 28A and the through hole 28C are arranged side by side in the advancing direction of the yoke 25.

The wafer detection unit 29 has 4 light emitting portions 31, 4 light receiving portions 32, and a support portion 33. The 4 light emitting parts 31 are disposed below the fork 25. The 4 light-receiving portions 32 are disposed above the fork 25 and above the 4 light-emitting portions 31, respectively. The support portion 33 supports the 4 light emitting portions 31 and the 4 light receiving portions 32 on the base 24.

The 1 light emitting unit 31 and the 1 light receiving unit 32 are grouped into one another to constitute 1 transmission type optical sensor. Next, the group of the light emitting unit 31 and the light receiving unit 32 is used as the wafer detection sensor 30.

The light emitting portion 31 and the light receiving portion 32 belonging to the same wafer detection sensor 30 are provided so as to sandwich the peripheral edge portion of the wafer W held by the fork 25 located at the retracted position from above and below, and the respective groups are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the wafer W.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the wafer detection unit 29 of the embodiment. As shown in fig. 4, the light emitting unit 31 is configured to emit light upward, and the arrows in fig. 4 indicate the light paths. The light receiving unit 32 is composed of a plurality of light receiving elements linearly arranged from the center side to the outer peripheral side of the wafer W.

The light emitted from the light emitting section 31 is partially blocked by the peripheral edge of the wafer W held by the fork 25 at the retracted position, and the other part passes through the side of the wafer W and is irradiated to the light receiving section 32. Therefore, the size of the region of the light receiving unit 32 to which light is applied, that is, the number of light receiving elements that receive light, changes in accordance with the position of the peripheral edge of the wafer W directly above the light emitting unit 31.

The light receiving unit 32 transmits a detection signal according to the size of the light irradiation region to the control unit 6 (see fig. 1). The control unit 6 detects the respective positions of the peripheral edge of the wafer W directly above the light receiving units 32 based on the detection signals, and calculates the center position of the wafer W held by the fork 25 based on the detected respective positions.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the substrate transport apparatus 17 and the cleaning unit 16 of the embodiment. As shown in fig. 5, the substrate transport apparatus 17 has a left-right drive unit 21, a frame 22, an elevating table 23, a base 24, 2 forks 25, and a wafer detection unit 29. The left-right driving unit 21 is used to horizontally move the frame 22 left and right.

The frame 22 is erected so as to surround the elevating table 23, and is used to elevate the elevating table 23 in the vertical direction. The base 24 is provided on the elevating table 23 and is rotated about a vertical axis by the elevating table 23.

The 2 forks 25 are provided on the base 24 so as to be overlapped with each other, and the base 24 moves the forks 25 forward and backward between a backward position and a forward position on the base 24 independently of each other.

In order to move the respective parts in this manner, the left and right driving units 21, the frame 22, the elevating table 23, and the base 24 include a driving mechanism (not shown) composed of a motor, a timing belt, and a pulley. The motor includes an encoder so that the control unit 6 (see fig. 1) can detect the position of each unit.

Further, as shown in fig. 5, the cleaning unit 16 includes the above-described substrate processing section 72 and the recovery tray 74. In addition, the substrate processing unit 72 is provided with lift pins 76.

The lift pins 76 are 3 lift pins which are provided inside the collection tray 74 and can be lifted. The lift pins 76 transfer the wafer W between the fork 25 located on the recovery dish 74 and the substrate processing unit 72.

The cleaning unit 16 has a vertical wall portion 48 that separates the cleaning unit 16 from the conveying portion 15. The wall portion 48 can suppress the treatment performed inside the cleaning unit 16 from being affected by the airflow in the conveying portion 15.

The wall portion 48 is provided with a carry-in port 49 for carrying in and out the wafer W to and from the substrate processing portion 72. In addition, in the vicinity of the input port 49, a 1 st detecting portion 51, a 2 nd detecting portion 52, and a 3 rd detecting portion 53, which are transmissive optical sensors, are provided.

The 1 st detection unit 51 and the 2 nd detection unit 52 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction so that the 1 st detection unit 51 is on the left side when viewed from the transport unit 15 to the cleaning unit 16. The 1 st detection unit 51 and the 3 rd detection unit 53 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction so that the 1 st detection unit 51 is on the rear side. That is, the 3 rd detecting unit 53 is provided inside or outside (inside in the drawing) the cleaning unit 16 from the 1 st detecting unit 51 and the 2 nd detecting unit 52.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd detectors 51, 52 and 53 according to the embodiment. Fig. 6 also shows the fork 25 which enters the cleaning unit 16 in the forward direction through the inlet 49 in order to carry the wafer W in and deliver the wafer W to the substrate processing section 72.

As shown in fig. 6, the 1 st detection unit 51 includes a light emitting unit 51a and a light receiving unit 51b arranged in parallel in the vertical direction. Light emitting unit 51a is provided below entrance 49, and light receiving unit 51b is provided above entrance 49.

The light emitting unit 51a emits light upward. The light receiving unit 51b includes a plurality of (for example, 1024) light receiving elements arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction).

The 2 nd detection unit 52 includes a light emitting unit 52a and a light receiving unit 52b arranged in parallel in the vertical direction. Light emitting unit 52a is provided below entrance 49, and light receiving unit 52b is provided above entrance 49.

The light emitting unit 52a emits light upward. The light receiving unit 52b includes a plurality of (for example, 1024) light receiving elements arranged side by side in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction).

The 3 rd detection part 53 includes a light emitting part 53a and a light receiving part 53b arranged in parallel in the vertical direction. Light emitting section 53a is provided below entrance 49, and light receiving section 53b is provided above entrance 49.

The light emitting section 53a emits light upward. The light receiving unit 53b includes a plurality of (for example, 1024) light receiving elements arranged side by side in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction).

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line a-a shown in fig. 6, and is a view for explaining the operation of the 1 st detecting unit 51. In fig. 7, the optical path formed by the light emitting portion 51a is schematically shown by an arrow.

As shown in fig. 7, the light emitting portion 51a is configured to: the through-hole 28A of the fork 25, which travels above the substrate processing unit 72 (see fig. 5) to transfer the wafer W, and the edge portion 28Aa on the front side (positive X-axis direction side) of the through-hole 28A are irradiated with light.

In the 1 st detection portion 51, the size of the region where the light receiving portion 51b receives light changes in accordance with the position of the front edge portion 28Aa of the through hole 28A. Therefore, the light receiving unit 51b outputs a signal corresponding to the size of the light receiving region to the control unit 6.

The control unit 6 can detect the position of the front edge portion 28Aa of the through hole 28A (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the edge portion 28Aa of the through hole 28A) in the X axis direction based on the output signal. That is, the 1 st detecting part 51 can detect the position of the fork 25 in the traveling direction with respect to the substrate processing part 72.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of fig. 6, and is a view for explaining the operation of the 2 nd detecting unit 52. In fig. 8, the optical path formed by the light emitting portion 52a is schematically shown by an arrow.

As shown in fig. 8, the light emitting portion 52a is configured to: light is irradiated to the through hole 28B of the fork 25 that travels above the substrate processing unit 72 (see fig. 5) to transfer the wafer W and the edge portion 28Ba on the right side (the positive Y-axis direction side) of the through hole 28B.

In the 2 nd detection unit 52, the size of the region where the light receiving unit 52B receives light changes in accordance with the position of the right edge 28Ba of the through hole 28B. Therefore, the light receiving unit 52b outputs a signal corresponding to the size of the light receiving region to the control unit 6.

The control unit 6 can detect the position of the right edge 28Ba of the through hole 28B (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the edge 28Ba of the through hole 28B) in the Y axis direction based on the output signal. That is, the 2 nd detecting section 52 can detect the position of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing section 72 in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction.

As described above, the 1 st detecting part 51 and the 2 nd detecting part 52 can detect the positions of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing part 72 on the 2 horizontal axes orthogonal to each other.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C shown in fig. 6 and is a view for explaining the operation of the 3 rd detecting unit 53. In fig. 9, the optical path formed by the light emitting section 53a is schematically shown by an arrow.

As shown in fig. 9, the light emitting unit 53a is disposed: the through hole 28C of the fork 25, which travels above the substrate processing unit 72 (see fig. 5) to transfer the wafer W, and the edge portion 28Ca on the right side (the positive Y-axis direction side) of the through hole 28C are irradiated with light.

In the 3 rd detection unit 53, the size of the region where the light receiving unit 53b receives light changes in accordance with the position of the right edge portion 28Ca of the through hole 28C. Therefore, the light receiving unit 53b outputs a signal corresponding to the size of the light receiving region to the control unit 6.

The control unit 6 can detect the position of the right edge portion 28Ca of the through hole 28C (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the edge portion 28Ca of the through hole 28C) in the Y axis direction based on the output signal. That is, the 3 rd detecting section 53 can detect the position of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing section 72 in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction.

Here, the 3 rd detecting part 53 of the embodiment can detect the inclination of the rotation axis of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing part 72 by cooperating with the 2 nd detecting part 52. The details of the inclination detection process of the turning axis will be described with reference to fig. 10 and 11.

Fig. 10 and 11 are diagrams for explaining the inclination detection processing according to the embodiment. In fig. 10 and 11, the 2 nd detection unit 52 and the 3 rd detection unit 53 are shown in parallel in the upper and lower directions for easy understanding.

Fig. 10 shows a case where the rotation axis of the fork 25 (see fig. 6) is not inclined with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 (see fig. 6) (that is, the inclination angle is 0 (rad)). As shown in fig. 10, the 2 nd detection unit 52 can obtain the distance Ya between the edge portion 28Ba of the through hole 28B and the end portion 52Ba of the light receiving portion 52B based on the size of the light receiving region of the light receiving portion 52B.

Similarly, the 3 rd detection unit 53 can obtain the distance Yb between the edge portion 28Ca of the through hole 28C and the end portion 53ba of the light receiving unit 53b based on the size of the light receiving region of the light receiving unit 53 b.

Here, since the light receiving portions 52b and 53b are arranged along the Y-axis direction, the distance Ya and the distance Yb are distances between the edge portion 28Ba (28Ca) and the end portion 52Ba (53Ba) in the Y-axis direction. The distance in the X-axis direction between the light receiving unit 52b and the light receiving unit 53b is defined as a distance Xa.

For example, in the embodiment, when the rotation axis of the fork 25 is not inclined with respect to the substrate processing unit 72, as shown in fig. 10, the 2 nd and 3 rd detecting units 52 and 53 and the through holes 28B and 28C are arranged so that the distance Ya and the distance Yb are equal to each other.

Fig. 11 shows a case where the rotation axis of the fork 25 (see fig. 6) is inclined with respect to the substrate processing part 72 (see fig. 6). As shown in fig. 11, when the rotation axis of the yoke 25 is inclined, the positional relationship between the through hole 28B and the through hole 28C provided in the yoke 25 changes, and therefore, the distance Ya and the distance Yb have different values from each other.

Further, as shown in fig. 11, the inclination angle θ (rad) of the rotation axis of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing part 72 can be calculated by the following equation (1).

θ＝tan^-1((Ya-Yb)/Xa) ……(1)

As described above, the 3 rd detecting unit 53 according to the embodiment can determine the inclination angle θ of the rotation axis of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 in cooperation with the 2 nd detecting unit 52.

< handling of wafer in >

Next, the details of the process of carrying the wafer W into the substrate processing portion 72 of the cleaning unit 16 by using the substrate transport device 17 will be described with reference to fig. 6 and the like described above.

The position of the fork 25 for transferring the wafer W to the substrate processing unit 72 is set in advance, and the set position is set as a transfer start position. More specifically, as the transfer start position, the advance position of the fork 25 on the base 24 and the orientation of the fork 25 are set in advance.

In other words, the number of pulses (encoder value) to be output from the encoders provided in the motors included in the base 24, the fork 25, and the lift table 23 (see fig. 5) for advancing and retracting the fork 25 is preset. The position of the fork 25 and the direction of the fork 25 on the base 24, which are set in advance in this manner, are set to "forward set position" and "set direction", respectively.

When the wafer W is held at the predetermined reference holding position by the fork 25 and the fork 25 is located at the transfer start position, the center of the wafer W on the substrate processing section 72 is located on the rotational axis of the substrate processing section 72. Fig. 6 shows a state in which the fork 25 and the wafer W are located at the transfer start position and the reference position, respectively.

In the following drawings, the center point of the wafer W held at the reference holding position is denoted as P0, the center point of the wafer W actually held is denoted as P1, and the rotation axis of the substrate processing section 72 is denoted as P2. The orientation of the yoke 25 refers to the orientation of the center point P0 as viewed from the rotational axis of the yoke 25.

For example, when the wafer W is held on the fork 25 so as to be deviated from the reference holding position, the controller 6 moves the fork 25 so that the fork 25 is deviated from the advanced setting position and the setting direction in order to compensate for the deviation when the wafer W is transferred to the substrate processing unit 72.

That is, the controller 6 calculates an encoder value obtained by correcting the wafer W by an amount corresponding to the deviation from the preset encoder value, and the fork 25 moves in accordance with the corrected encoder value. In the present invention, the position after the movement of the fork 25 is set as a temporary position for the transfer.

Next, the controller 6 controls the substrate transfer device 17 to move the fork 25 holding the wafer W in the forward direction (positive X-axis direction) and transfer the wafer W above the substrate processing unit 72 in the cleaning unit 16.

Next, the 1 st detection part 51 detects the position of the edge part 28Aa of the through hole 28A provided in the yoke 25, the 2 nd detection part 52 detects the position of the edge part 28Ba of the through hole 28B, and the 3 rd detection part 53 detects the position of the edge part 28Ca of the through hole 28C.

Next, the control unit 6 obtains a deviation between the detected positions of the edge portions 28Aa and 28Ba and the positions at which the edge portions 28Aa and 28Ba are to be detected after the fork 25 is corrected from the delivery start position to the temporary position for delivery.

That is, the control unit 6 detects a positional deviation between the set temporary position for handover and the actual position of the fork 25.

Next, the control unit 6 further corrects the orientation of the fork 25 from the set orientation and further corrects the position of the fork 25 on the base 24 from the advanced set position so as to eliminate the positional deviation.

That is, the control unit 6 moves the yoke 25 so as to further correct the encoder value output from each encoder by an amount corresponding to the positional deviation of the yoke 25 from the preset encoder value. Then, the wafer W is transferred with the center point P1 of the wafer W positioned on the rotation axis P2 of the substrate processing unit 72.

In the above-described process of correcting the positional deviation of the fork 25, the process is performed with reference to only the position of the fork 25 in the X-axis direction and the position of the fork 25 in the Y-axis direction with respect to the substrate processing part 72, and it is considered that the fork 25 is not deviated in orientation from the substrate processing part 72.

In such a case, the accuracy of correction may be reduced by the amount of deviation in the orientation of the fork 25. This is because the control unit 6 corrects the position in the Y-axis direction by rotating the yoke 25, but when the orientation of the yoke 25 is deviated, the correction of the position in the Y-axis direction is insufficient and the position in the X-axis direction is deviated undesirably.

However, in the embodiment, since the 3 rd detection part 53 is provided in the cleaning unit 16, in the process of correcting the positional deviation of the fork 25, the positional deviation of the fork 25 can be corrected with reference to the orientation (inclination angle θ) of the fork 25.

Therefore, according to the embodiment, the centering accuracy when the wafer W is placed on the substrate treatment unit 72 in the cleaning unit 16 can be improved.

As a cause of the positional deviation of the fork 25, for example, there is a case where the base 24 of the substrate transport apparatus 17 rotates while the base 24 moves horizontally, and the horizontal movement is influenced by inertia. In the embodiment, since the positional deviation of the fork 25 can be corrected as described above, the occurrence of an abnormality in the transfer of the wafer W due to the above-described cause can be suppressed.

< handling of wafer >

Next, the process of transferring the wafer W into the cleaning unit 16 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 12 to 14. Fig. 12 to 14 are views for explaining the carrying-in process of the wafer W according to the embodiment.

In fig. 12, for easy understanding, the area including the center points P0 and P1 of the wafer W is shown enlarged at the head of the dotted arrow. The position of the edge portion 28Aa of the through hole 28A and the position of the edge portion 28Ba of the through hole 28B detected at the transfer start position of the yoke 25 are set as reference positions of the edge portions 28Aa and 28Ba, respectively.

First, the controller 6 moves the base 24 up with the fork 25 located at the forward position and the base 24 located in front of the interface 14, and transfers and holds the wafer W from the interface 14 to the fork 25. Then, the control part 6 moves the fork 25 to the retreated position.

Next, the controller 6 calculates the position of the center point P1 of the wafer W based on the detection signals from the wafer detection sensors 30, and detects the amount of deviation between the center point P1 and the center point P0 of the wafer W held at the reference holding position.

The controller 6 calculates, as specific amounts of deviation, a deviation Δ X1 in the horizontal direction along a first straight line L1 that connects the center of rotation of the yoke 25 and the center point P1, and a deviation Δ Y1 in the horizontal direction along a second straight line L2 that is orthogonal to the first straight line L1. This enables the position of the wafer W in the fork 25 to be detected.

Next, the control unit 6 moves the frame 22 to a predetermined position by the left and right driving units 21 of the substrate transport apparatus 17. That is, the control unit 6 moves the frame 22 so that a predetermined encoder value is output from the motor of the left and right drive units 21. Further, the control unit 6 rotates the fork 25 toward the set orientation while the frame 22 is moved.

Next, the controller 6 controls the substrate transfer device 17 to advance the fork 25 and rotate the fork 25 in order to load the wafer W onto the substrate processing section 72. In the embodiment, the advance of the fork 25 and the rotation of the fork 25 are performed, for example, in parallel.

At this time, the control unit 6 performs the advancing process of the fork 25 so that the fork 25 is located at a position shifted from the advanced setting position by an amount corresponding to the deviation amount Δ X1. Likewise, the control part 6 performs the turning process of the yoke 25 in such a manner that the yoke 25 is shifted from the set orientation by an amount corresponding to the deviation amount Δ Y1.

That is, in the embodiment, as shown in fig. 13, the fork 25 is moved to the temporary position of the transfer and is stopped so that the center point P1 of the wafer W is aligned with the rotation axis P2 of the substrate processing unit 72 by correcting the amounts of deviation Δ X1 and Δ Y1.

Next, the control unit 6 controls the 1 st detection unit 51, the 2 nd detection unit 52, and the 3 rd detection unit 53 to detect the positions of the edge portion 28Aa of the through hole 28A, the edge portion 28Ba of the through hole 28B, and the edge portion 28Ca of the through hole 28C of the yoke 25.

The reference position of the edge portion 28Aa of the through hole 28A is corrected by an amount corresponding to the deviation amount Δ X1, and is acquired as a position to be detected with respect to the edge portion 28Aa of the through hole 28A.

Similarly, the reference position of the edge portion 28Ba of the through hole 28B is obtained as a position to be detected with respect to the edge portion 28Ba of the through hole 28B by correcting the amount of change in the orientation of the yoke 25 from the set orientation, that is, the amount corresponding to the deviation amount Δ Y1.

Then, the controller 6 calculates the amount of deviation between the position to be detected and the detected position for the through hole 28A (hereinafter, referred to as Δ X2), and calculates the amount of deviation between the position to be detected and the detected position for the through hole 28B (hereinafter, referred to as Δ Y2). The deviations Δ X2 and Δ Y2 are not shown in the figure.

Here, in the embodiment, the controller 6 calculates the inclination angle θ of the rotation axis of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 based on the detected positions of the edge portions 28Ba and 28Ca of the through holes 28B and 28C before the calculation processing of the deviation amounts Δ X2 and Δ Y2.

In the calculation of the deviation amounts Δ X2 and Δ Y2, the controller 6 performs the calculation of the deviation amounts Δ X2 and Δ Y2 using the inclination angle θ with respect to the rotation axis of the fork 25 of the substrate processing unit 72 as a parameter. This can improve the calculation accuracy of the deviation amounts Δ X2 and Δ Y2.

Therefore, according to the embodiment, the centering accuracy when the wafer W is placed on the substrate treatment section 72 in the cleaning unit 16 can be improved.

Next, the controller 6 controls the substrate transport device 17 to, for example, advance and retreat the forks 25 by Δ X2 and rotate the forks 25 by Δ Y2 in parallel. Thus, the controller 6 can move the fork 25 so that the center point P1 of the wafer W is located on the rotational axis P2 of the substrate treating section 72.

That is, as shown in fig. 14, the controller 6 can move the fork 25 from the temporary position of the above-described transfer to the transfer position of the wafer W newly set based on the temporary position and the amounts of deviation Δ X2 and Δ Y2.

Next, the controller 6 raises the lift pins 76 of the cleaning unit 16, thereby transferring the wafer W from the fork 25 to the lift pins 76. Then, the controller 6 sequentially retracts the fork 25 and lowers the lift pins 76, thereby transferring the wafer W to the substrate processing unit 72.

Although not shown in the above description, the other fork 25 performs the sending-out process of the wafer W held by the substrate processing section 72 before or at the same time as the one fork 25 performs the sending-in process of the wafer W.

Data necessary for correcting the position of the fork 25 described above, such as the handover start position and the reference holding position, is stored in the storage unit 7 of the control device 5 in advance, and the operation of the fork 25 is controlled based on the data.

As described above, in the embodiment, the wafer W can be conveyed so that the center point P1 of the wafer W is aligned with the rotation axis P2 of the substrate processing unit 72. Thus, when the cleaning unit 16 removes a film on the peripheral edge of the wafer W, for example, the removed width can be prevented from deviating from the set value, and the yield of the wafer W can be improved.

In the embodiment, since not only the 1 st and 2 nd detection units 51 and 52 but also the 3 rd detection unit 53 are provided, the positional deviation of the fork 25 can be corrected with reference to the orientation (inclination angle θ) of the fork 25. Therefore, according to the embodiment, the centering accuracy when the wafer W is placed on the substrate treatment section 72 can be improved.

In addition, in the embodiment, the 3 rd detecting part 53 can detect the position of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing part 72 in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction (i.e., the Y-axis direction) in addition to the 2 nd detecting part 52.

Thus, even when the 2 nd detecting unit 52 has a problem, the 3 rd detecting unit 53 can perform the processing using the 2 nd detecting unit 52. Therefore, according to the embodiment, the reliability of the substrate processing system 1 can be improved.

In the embodiment, the 3 rd detecting unit 53 may be arranged so as not to be aligned in the Y axis direction with respect to the 2 nd detecting unit 52. Thus, when the rotation axis of the fork 25 is tilted, the distance Ya (see fig. 11) measured by the 2 nd detecting unit 52 and the distance Yb (see fig. 11) measured by the 3 rd detecting unit 53 can be set to different values.

Therefore, according to the embodiment, the inclination angle θ of the rotation axis of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 can be accurately obtained.

In the embodiment, the 1 st detecting unit 51 and the 2 nd detecting unit 52 are provided adjacent to the inlet 49, and the 3 rd detecting unit 53 is provided inside or outside the 1 st detecting unit 51 and the 2 nd detecting unit 52 with respect to the substrate processing unit 72.

This makes it possible to measure the position and the inclination angle θ of the fork 25 when the wafer W is subjected to the carry-in process to the substrate processing unit 72 without interfering with the carry-in process. Therefore, according to the embodiment, the wafer W can be smoothly carried into the substrate processing section 72.

In the embodiment, the 1 st to 3 rd detection units 51 to 53 are all optical sensors having light emitting units 51a to 53a and light receiving units 51b to 53 b. In the embodiment, when the position of the fork 25 is detected, the light emitting portions 51a to 53a and the light receiving portions 51b to 53b may be arranged with the through holes 28A to 28C provided in the fork 25 interposed therebetween.

This makes it possible to measure the position and the inclination angle θ of the fork 25 at the time of the carry-in process of the wafer W to the substrate processing section 72 with high accuracy without hindering the carry-in process. Therefore, according to the embodiment, the wafer W can be smoothly and accurately carried into the substrate processing section 72.

In the embodiment, the through holes 28A to 28C corresponding to the 1 st to 3 rd detectors 51 to 53 may be provided in the yoke 25. This can improve the degree of freedom in arrangement when the 1 st to 3 rd detecting parts 51 to 53 are provided in the cleaning unit 16 and the degree of freedom in arrangement when the through holes 28A to 28C are provided in the yoke 25.

In the embodiment, the through holes 28A to 28C corresponding to the 1 st to 3 rd detectors 51 to 53 are not limited to the through holes provided in the yoke 25. Fig. 15 is a plan view showing the 1 st detecting part 51, the 2 nd detecting part 52, the 3 rd detecting part 53, and the fork 25 in modification 1 of the embodiment.

As shown in fig. 15, in modification 1, as in the embodiment, through-holes 28A are provided at positions corresponding to the 1 st detection unit 51, and through-holes 28B are provided at positions corresponding to the 2 nd detection unit 52. On the other hand, in modification 1, the 3 rd detection unit 53 is disposed so as to irradiate light to the edge portion 28Ba of the through hole 28B common to the 2 nd detection unit 52.

In this case, the position of the fork 25 in the X-axis direction, the position in the Y-axis direction, and the inclination angle θ with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 can be measured by using the 1 st to 3 rd detecting units 51 to 53.

Fig. 16 is a plan view showing the 1 st detecting part 51, the 2 nd detecting part 52, the 3 rd detecting part 53, and the fork 25 according to modification 2 of the embodiment. As shown in fig. 16, in modification 2, the through hole 28 common to the 1 st to 3 rd detectors 51 to 53 is provided in the fork 25.

In modification 2, the 1 st detection unit 51 is disposed so as to irradiate light to the edge portion 28a along the Y-axis direction of the through hole 28, and the 2 nd detection unit 52 and the 3 rd detection unit 53 are disposed so as to irradiate light to the edge portion 28b along the X-axis direction of the through hole 28.

In this case, the position of the fork 25 in the X-axis direction, the position in the Y-axis direction, and the inclination angle θ with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 can be measured by using the 1 st to 3 rd detecting units 51 to 53.

In the above-described embodiment, the 1 st to 3 rd detection units 51 to 53 are not limited to optical sensors having the light emitting units 51a to 53a and the light receiving units 51b to 53 b. For example, the positions of the edge portions 28Aa to 28Ca of the through holes 28A to 28C may be detected using a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor, or the like.

In the above-described embodiment, the objects to be detected by the 1 st to 3 rd detection units 51 to 53 are not limited to the edge portions 28Aa to 28Ca of the through holes 28A to 28C, and may be any object as long as they are marks for detecting the position of the fork 25.

In the above-described embodiment, the correction of the deviation in the Y-axis direction is performed by rotating the fork 25, but it may be performed by shifting the position of the fork 25 in the Y-axis direction by moving the frame 22 of the substrate transport apparatus 17 in the Y-axis direction.

The substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) of the embodiment includes a substrate processing section 72, a substrate transport section (fork 25), a 1 st detection section 51, a 2 nd detection section 52, and a 3 rd detection section 53. The substrate processing section 72 holds and processes a substrate (wafer W). The substrate transport unit (fork 25) has a rotation shaft and feeds a substrate (wafer W) into the substrate processing unit 72. The 1 st detecting unit 51 detects the position of the substrate transport unit (the fork 25) with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 in the traveling direction (X-axis direction) when the substrate (the wafer W) is carried into the substrate processing unit 72 along the traveling direction (X-axis direction). The 2 nd detecting section 52 detects the position of the substrate conveying section (the fork 25) with respect to the substrate processing section 72 in the direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the traveling direction. The 3 rd detecting part 53 detects the inclination of the rotation axis of the substrate conveying part (the fork 25) with respect to the substrate processing part 72. This can improve the centering accuracy when the wafer W is placed on the substrate treatment section 72.

In the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, the 3 rd detecting unit 53 is arranged so as not to be aligned in the direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the traveling direction with respect to the 2 nd detecting unit 52. This enables the inclination angle θ of the rotation axis of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 to be accurately determined.

In the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, the 1 st detection unit 51 and the 2 nd detection unit 52 are provided adjacent to the inlet 49 of the substrate processing unit 72. The 3 rd detecting unit 53 is provided inside or outside the 1 st detecting unit 51 and the 2 nd detecting unit 52 with respect to the substrate processing unit 72. This enables the wafer W to be smoothly carried into the substrate processing section 72.

In the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, each of the 1 st detection unit 51, the 2 nd detection unit 52, and the 3 rd detection unit 53 is an optical sensor having light emitting units 51a to 53a and light receiving units 51b to 53 b. When detecting the position of the substrate transport unit (fork 25), the light emitting units 51a to 53a and the light receiving units 51b to 53b are disposed through the through holes 28A to 28C provided in the substrate transport unit (fork 25). This enables the wafer W to be smoothly and accurately carried into the substrate processing section 72.

In the substrate processing apparatus (substrate processing system 1) according to the embodiment, a plurality of through holes 28A to 28C are provided at positions corresponding to the 1 st detecting unit 51, the 2 nd detecting unit 52, and the 3 rd detecting unit 53. This can improve the degree of freedom in arrangement when the 1 st to 3 rd detecting parts 51 to 53 are provided in the cleaning unit 16 and the degree of freedom in arrangement when the through holes 28A to 28C are provided in the yoke 25.

< order of processing >

Next, the procedure of the loading process according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 17. Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing a sequence of the carry-in process executed by the substrate processing system 1 according to the embodiment.

First, the controller 6 controls the wafer detection sensor 30 to detect a positional deviation of the wafer W with respect to the fork 25 (step S101). Then, the controller 6 controls the substrate transfer device 17 to move the fork 25 holding the wafer W forward, and brings the wafer W into the substrate processing unit 72 in the cleaning unit 16 (step S102).

Next, the controller 6 controls the 1 st to 3 rd detectors 51 to 53 to detect the position (position in the X-axis direction and position in the Y-axis direction) and the inclination angle θ of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 (step S103). Then, the control unit 6 calculates a correction amount for the reference position based on the detection values detected by the 1 st to 3 rd detection units 51 to 53 (step S104).

Next, the control unit 6 operates the substrate transport device 17 based on the calculated correction amount to correct the position of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 (step S105). Then, the controller 6 controls the 1 st to 3 rd detectors 51 to 53 to detect the position (position in the X-axis direction and position in the Y-axis direction) and the inclination angle θ of the fork 25 with respect to the substrate processing unit 72 (step S106).

Next, the control unit 6 determines whether or not the positional deviation of the yoke 25 is within a predetermined range based on the positions (the position in the X-axis direction and the position in the Y-axis direction) of the yoke 25 detected by the 1 st detecting unit 51 and the 2 nd detecting unit 52 (step S107).

Here, when the positional deviation of the fork 25 is within the predetermined range (yes in step S107), the controller 6 controls the fork 25 and the cleaning unit 16 to place the wafer W on the substrate processing unit 72 (step S108), and the process is completed.

On the other hand, if the positional deviation of the yoke 25 is not within the predetermined range (no in step S107), the process returns to step S104.

The substrate processing method of the embodiment includes a detection step (step S103), a calculation step (step S104), and a correction step (step S105). In the detection step (step S103), when the substrate (wafer W) is carried into the substrate processing section 72 along the traveling direction (X-axis direction) using the substrate transport section (fork 25) having the rotation axis, the position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in the traveling direction, the position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in the direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the traveling direction, and the inclination of the rotation axis of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section are detected. The calculation step (step S104) calculates a correction amount for the reference position based on each detection value detected in the detection step (step S103). The correction step (step S105) corrects the position of the substrate transport section (the fork 25) with respect to the substrate processing section 72 in the traveling direction and the position of the substrate transport section with respect to the substrate processing section in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, based on the correction amount calculated in the calculation step (step S104). This can improve the centering accuracy when the wafer W is placed on the substrate treatment section 72.

While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered as limiting. Indeed, the above-described embodiments may be embodied in many ways. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be omitted, replaced, or changed in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.