Patent ID: 8545160

Claim:
A substrate transfer apparatus that transfers a substrate with respect to a batch-type processing apparatus configured to perform a batch process on a plurality of substrates, the substrate transfer apparatus comprising: a first substrate accommodation unit configured to accommodate, in a vertical direction, a plurality of substrates to be loaded into a processing apparatus; a second substrate accommodation unit configured to accommodate, in a vertical direction, a plurality of substrates unloaded from the processing apparatus; a first substrate holder configured to transfer substrates from the first substrate accommodation unit to the processing apparatus; a second substrate holder configured to transfer substrates from the processing apparatus to the second substrate accommodation unit; a first elevating mechanism configured to move at least one of the first substrate accommodation unit and the first substrate holder in a vertical direction relative to each other in order to transfer substrates between the first substrate accommodation unit and the first substrate holder; and a second elevating mechanism configured to move at least one of the second substrate accommodation unit and the second substrate holder in a vertical direction relative to each other in order to transfer substrates between the second substrate accommodation unit and the second substrate holder, wherein one substrate is transferred from the first substrate accommodation unit to the first substrate holder, while another substrate is transferred from the second substrate holder to the second substrate accommodation unit, in the first substrate accommodation unit, a first support for supporting the substrate is installed at a position where it is not overlapped with the first substrate holder when viewed from the top, in the second substrate accommodation unit, a second support for supporting the substrate is installed at a position where it is not overlapped with the second substrate holder when viewed from the top, the first substrate accommodation unit includes a first support moving mechanism that moves the first support between an inner side and an outer side of the substrate, the second substrate accommodation unit includes a second support moving mechanism that moves the second support between an inner side and an outer side of the substrate, the first elevating mechanism moves the first substrate holder in a vertical direction, and the second elevating mechanism moves the second substrate holder in a vertical direction.