Patent ID: 8141513

Claim:
A substrate holding apparatus comprising: a substrate holding section for supporting a substrate with a front surface of the substrate facing downward; and an attraction head provided with an attraction seal for attracting and holding the substrate supported by the substrate holding section while sealing a peripheral portion of a back surface of the substrate in a ring, wherein the substrate holding section is movable relative to the attraction head, wherein the substrate holding section includes: a base section; and a ring-shaped substrate support section for supporting the substrate and bringing a peripheral portion of the back surface of the substrate into contact with a lower end surface of the attraction seal over an entire circumference of the attraction seal without creating an empty space between the back surface of the substrate and the attraction seal as the substrate holding section moves closer to the attraction head wherein the substrate support section is disposed at a given distance from the base section and tiltably coupled to the base section by a pair of coupling sections provided at a peripheral portion of the substrate support section, wherein the substrate holding section further comprises a plurality of pressing mechanisms disposed at locations along the circumferential direction of the substrate support section, and wherein each pressing mechanism has a movable claw for containing a peripheral portion of the front surface of the substrate supported by the substrate holding section and for pressing the substrate against the attraction head as the substrate holding section moves closer to the attraction head.