Patent ID: 8444363
Filing Date: 2013-05-21
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A substrate processing apparatus Comprising; a carrying chamber; a loadlock chamber capable of accommodating substrates arranged vertically with an interval therebetween; at least two process chambers; and a controller configured to control each component of the substrate processing apparatus, wherein the loadlock chamber and the at least two process chambers are arranged around the carrying chamber and each of the at least two process chambers comprises a first process unit and a second process unit, the second process unit being disposed at a side of the at least two process chambers distant from the carrying chamber with the first process unit disposed therebetween, and wherein the carrying chamber comprises a substrate carrying unit configured to carry the substrates between the loadlock chamber and the at least two process chambers, the substrate carrying unit comprising: a first arm provided with a first pair of fingers including a first finger and a second finger arranged vertically, each of the first finger and the second finger being fixed to the first arm via a supporting part with a gap therebetween, each of the first finger and the second finger including a wafer resting part configured to carry one of the substrates arranged vertically, the wafer resting part of each of the first finger and the second finger having a leading end extending horizontally, and the wafer resting part of the second finger having a notch at the leading end thereof, the notch overlapping with the leading end of the first finger; and a second arm vertically stacked with respect to the first arm, the second arm provided with a second pair of fingers including a third finger and a fourth finger arranged vertically, each of the third finger and the fourth finger being fixed to the second arm via a support part with a gap therebetween, each of the third finger and the fourth finger including a wafer resting part configured to carry one of the substrates arranged vertically, the wafer resting part of each of the third finger and the fourth finger having a notch at a leading end thereof extending horizontally, the notch of the fourth finger overlapping with the leading end of the third finger, wherein each of the first finger and the second finger includes a penetration hole extending over the resting part and the supporting part thereof; a first reflective displacement sensor disposed at one of a top side and a bottom side of the carrying chamber closer to the first arm such that penetration holes of the first finger and the second finger and the supporting part of the third finger are placed along an optical axis of a first light passing through the penetration holes of the first finger and the second finger with the leading ends of the first finger and the second finger facing one of the at least two process chambers during a carrying operation of the substrates; and a second reflective displacement sensor disposed at one of the top side and the bottom side of the carrying chamber opposite to the first reflective displacement sensor such that the notch of the fourth finger and a backside of the third finger are placed along an optical axis of a second light passing through the notch of the fourth finger with the leading ends of the first finger and the second finger facing the one of the at least two process chambers during the carrying operation of the substrates.