Patent ID: 8128793

Claim:
A vertical substrate transfer apparatus which carries a substrate having opposite processing surfaces in a nearly upright position to a processing chamber, comprising: a carrier for supporting the substrate so that either surface of the substrate is processable, the carrier including: a frame for surrounding a periphery of the substrate; and a clamping mechanism for clamping an edge portion of the substrate, the clamping mechanism installed on an inner peripheral side of the frame, the clamping mechanism having a pair of clamping claws configured to be openable and closable to deliver and receive the substrate from either direction; an intake mechanism for transferring the substrate onto the carrier; a carrying chamber housing the carrier on its path of progression to the processing chamber; a position changing mechanism for changing the carrying position of the carrier, the position changing mechanism arranged between the intake mechanism and the carrying chamber; and the processing chamber arranged for processing one surface of the substrate, wherein; the position changing mechanism includes means for changing position of the carrier from a first position in which a processing surface of the substrate is directed to a first direction or to a second position in which the processing surface is directed to a second direction different from the first direction, and for selecting either one of the first and second positions according to a desired orientation of the substrate to be carried in the processing chamber.