Patent ID: 6722798
Filing Date: 2004-04-20
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A substrate processing apparatus that performs predetermined process on a series of substrates one by one comprising:a cassette station that holds cassettes storing a plurality of substrates; a process station for performing predetermined process on a substrate transported out from said cassettes; an inspection station for performing predetermined inspection and/or measurement on a substrate that have completed said process at said process station; a substrate transfer means for transferring a substrate between said cassette station, said process station and said inspection station; and a transfer control mechanism for controlling the operations of said substrate transfer means; wherein said inspection station comprises: an inspecting/measuring unit for performing the inspection and/or measurement on a substrate transferred from said process station to said inspection station; and an emergency stage unit into which a inspection/measurement substrate for the inspection and/or measurement using said inspecting/measuring unit is temporarily transferred, said emergency stage unit being established in parallel to said inspecting/measuring unit; and wherein said transfer control mechanism controls said substrate transfer means to transfer said inspection/measurement substrate from said process station to said cassette station via said substrate stage when circumstances disallow transferring substrates into said inspecting/measuring unit.