Patent ID: 9184073
Filing Date: 2015-11-10
Classification: C23C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A substrate processing apparatus arranged in a line from a first end to a second end and configured to process substrates, the substrate processing apparatus comprising: a first process unit configured to perform a first process on the substrates and comprising a plurality of first process stations each configured to sequentially perform the first process having a first process time on each substrate of a respective first portion of the substrates in a first atmosphere; a second process unit configured to perform a second process on the substrates and comprising a plurality of second process stations each configured to sequentially perform a second process having a second process time different from the first process time on each substrate of a respective second portion of the substrates in a second atmosphere different from the first atmosphere; a transformation unit configured to transform an atmosphere of the substrates from the first atmosphere to the second atmosphere and comprising a plurality of transformation stations each configured to transform the atmosphere of each group of one or more substrates of a respective third portion of the substrates from the first atmosphere to the second atmosphere; a carry-in unit configured to transfer each of the substrates from the first end to any one of the first process stations in the first atmosphere; a first transfer unit configured to transfer each of the substrates from any one of the first process stations to any one of the transformation stations in the first atmosphere; a second transfer unit configured to transfer each of the substrates from any one of the transformation stations to any one of the second process stations in the second atmosphere; a carry-out unit configured to transfer each of the substrates from any one of the second process stations to the second end in the second atmosphere; and a control unit configured to control operation of the substrate processing apparatus by: wherein the first process unit, the first transfer unit, the transformation unit, the second transfer unit, and the second process unit are arranged in the line from the first end to the second end, and wherein a ratio of a number of the first process stations to a number of the second process stations is substantially the same as a ratio of the first process time to the second process time.