Patent ID: 7942619

Claim:
A substrate transfer apparatus adapted to carry substrates in support of and separate from a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate transfer apparatus comprising: a main body constituting member; and a carrier unit, the carrier unit being a separate unit from, and adapted to be detachably attached to, the main body constituting member, the carrier unit comprising: (a) a frame body configured to be detachably attached to the main body constituting member; (b) a robot for carrying a substrate, including a robot main body and a robot base portion to fixedly attach the robot main body to the frame body; and (c) a substrate container opener fixed to the frame body, the substrate container opener including an opener main body, and an opener base portion to fixedly attach the opener main body to the frame body, wherein the substrate transfer apparatus is an Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) comprising both the main body constituting member and the carrier unit, wherein the frame body includes a frame main body having a horizontal top face and a vertical side wall, the frame body being configured such that, when the frame body is attached to the main body constituting member, the robot and the substrate container opener, both fixed to the frame body, are respectively located in positions to be arranged as parts of the substrate transfer apparatus, the frame main body includes a robot fixing portion formed in the vertical side wall and an opener fixing portion formed in the horizontal top face, the robot base portion being fixed to the robot fixing portion, the opener base portion being fixed to the opener fixing portion, and the frame main body having a rigidity to prevent the robot base portion, in combination with a rigidity of the robot base portion itself, from being deformed beyond an allowable amount of robot deformation which is allowed upon transferring a substrate, when a force is exerted on the frame body from the robot main body via the robot base portion, the frame main body having a rigidity to prevent the opener base portion, in combination with a rigidity of the opener base portion itself, from being deformed beyond an allowable amount of opener deformation, which amount is allowed upon transferring a substrate, when a force is exerted on the frame main body from the opener main body via the opener base portion, and in a state where the carrier unit is separated from the main body constituting member, the carrier unit can perform an operation that is the same as an operation when the carrier unit is attached to the main body constituting member as a part of the substrate transfer apparatus.