Patent ID: 6066210
Filing Date: 2000-05-23
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A substrate processing apparatus, comprising:a substrate transfer chamber which can be depressurized;a substrate processing chamber, disposed on a first side wall of said substrate transfer chamber, for processing a substrate;an intermediate substrate holding chamber which is disposed on a second side wall of said substrate transfer chamber and which can be depressurized independently of said substrate transfer chamber;a first substrate holding device, disposed within said intermediate substrate holding chamber, for holding said substrate;a second substrate holding device, disposed within said substrate processing chamber, for holding said substrate;a first substrate transfer device disposed within said substrate transfer chamber, said first substrate transfer device being capable of transferring said substrate between said substrate processing chamber and said intermediate substrate holding chamber;a first valve disposed between said substrate processing chamber and said substrate transfer chamber, said first valve being capable of providing hermetic vacuum isolation between said substrate processing chamber and said substrate transfer chamber when closed and allowing said substrate to pass therethrough when opened;a second valve disposed between said substrate transfer chamber and said intermediate substrate holding chamber, said second valve being capable of providing hermetic vacuum isolation between said substrate transfer chamber and said intermediate substrate holding chamber when closed and allowing said substrate to pass therethrough when opened;an atmospheric pressure section located at a side which is different from the substrate transfer chamber's side with respect to said intermediate substrate holding chamber;a third valve disposed between said intermediate substrate holding chamber and said atmospheric pressure section, said third valve being capable of maintaining said intermediate substrate holding chamber under vacuum in isolation from said atmospheric pressure section when closed and allowing said substrate to pass therethrough when opened;a cassette holding device disposed within said atmospheric pressure section; anda second substrate transfer device disposed within said atmospheric pressure section, said second substrate transfer device being capable of transferring said substrate between a cassette held in said cassette holding device and said intermediate substrate holding chamber;wherein said second substrate holding device is capable of holding a plurality of substrates, said first substrate holding device is capable of holding a plurality of substrates, and the pitch of substrates held by said first substrate holding device is substantially identical to that of substrates held by said second substrate holding device.