Patent ID: 6161969
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: G03F,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprisinga cassette station for loading and unloading a cassette storing a plurality of substrates;a sub-transfer arm mechanism arranged in the cassette station, for loading/unloading a substrate into/from the cassette; anda process station for processing a plurality of substrates unloaded from the cassette station, simultaneously in parallel;whereinthe process station comprises:a front-stage station block adjoined to the cassette station and having a plurality of first process units for processing a substrate;a first main transfer arm mechanism arranged in the front-stage station block, for transferring a substrate to/from the sub-transfer arm mechanism and loading/unloading the substrate into/from the first process unit;a rear-stage station block adjoined to the front-stage station block and having a plurality of second process units for processing a substrate; anda second main transfer arm mechanism arranged in the rear-stage station block for transferring a substrate to/from the first main transfer arm mechanism and loading/unloading the substrate into/from the second process unit;a relative positional relationship between the first process units and the first main transfer arm mechanism is substantially the same as that of the second process units and the second main transfer arm mechanism; andthe first main transfer arm mechanism also loads/unloads the substrate directly to at least one of second process units belonging to the rear-stage station block.