Patent ID: 8672602

Claim:
A processing apparatus comprising: a transfer mechanism including at least one transfer plate, whereby when a substrate to be processed is placed on an upper surface of the transfer plate, the transfer mechanism causes the transfer plate to move while maintaining the substrate to be processed placed horizontally thereon, the transfer plate comprising a cantilevered support structure horizontally extending from a proximal end thereof to a distal end thereof in a fore and aft direction, and a plurality of support projections provided on an upper surface of the transfer plate and configured to horizontally support the substrate to be processed at a substantially central position of the transfer plate and a rear position proximate the proximal end of the transfer plate; wherein a bottom surface of the substrate to be processed is not supported by the upper surface of the transfer plate or by the support projections over a distance between the support projection located in the substantially central position of the transfer plate and the distal end of the transfer plate, and wherein the transfer plate is provided with a step in a lower surface thereof at a region more distal than the substantially central support projection, so that a thickness of this region is smaller than a thickness of the other region.