Patent ID: 8033288
Filing Date: 2011-10-11
Classification: H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A substrate treatment apparatus comprising: a container holder which holds a container for containing multiple substrates vertically stacked in horizontal postures; a substrate treatment section which collectively applies treatment to multiple substrates horizontally stacked in vertical postures; a main conveyance mechanism which collectively conveys multiple substrates horizontally stacked in vertical postures between a predetermined substrate delivery position and the substrate treatment section, the substrate delivery position including a first substrate delivery position and a second substrate delivery position different from the first substrate delivery position; a carrying in/out mechanism which collectively carries in/out the multiple substrates with respect to the container held by the container holder and collectively changes postures of the multiple substrates between the horizontal postures and the vertical postures; and a sub conveyance mechanism which collectively receives and delivers multiple substrates in vertical postures from and to the carrying in/out mechanism at a predetermined transfer position, collectively receives and delivers multiple substrates in vertical postures from and to the main conveyance mechanism at the substrate delivery position, and collectively conveys multiple substrates in vertical postures between the transfer position and the substrate delivery position, wherein the carrying in/out mechanism includes: a multiple-substrate holding hand which collectively holds multiple substrates; a hand advancing and retreating mechanism which advances and retreats the multiple-substrate holding hand along a predetermined advancing and retreating direction along a horizontal direction with respect to the container held by the container holder; and a hand swiveling mechanism which swivels the multiple-substrate holding hand by at least 90 degrees along a vertical plane along the advancing and retreating direction, the sub conveyance mechanism includes: a transfer mechanism which has a transfer support for collectively holding multiple substrates horizontally stacked in vertical postures, and vertically moves the transfer support to collectively receive and deliver multiple substrates in vertical postures from and to the carrying in/out mechanism at the transfer position, the transfer mechanism being disposed on the opposite side of the carrying in/out mechanism with respect to the advancing and retreating direction of the multiple-substrate holding hand; a first substrate movement mechanism which has a first conveyance holder for holding multiple substrates, collectively receives and delivers multiple substrates between the transfer support and the first conveyance holder at the transfer position, collectively receives and delivers multiple substrates between the main conveyance mechanism and the first conveyance holder at the first substrate delivery position, and moves the first conveyance holder between the transfer position and the first substrate delivery position via a first path; and a second substrate movement mechanism which has a second conveyance holder for holding multiple substrates, collectively receives and delivers multiple substrates between the transfer support and the second conveyance holder at the transfer position, collectively receives and delivers multiple substrates between the main conveyance mechanism and the second conveyance holder at the second substrate delivery position, and moves the second conveyance holder between the transfer position and the second substrate delivery position via a second path different from the first path.