US 11,990,357 B2
Substrate transport apparatus, substrate transport method, and substrate processing system
Tatsuo Hatano, Yamanashi (JP); and Naoki Watanabe, Nirasaki (JP)
Assigned to Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jan. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/571,171.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-002595 (JP), filed on Jan. 12, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0130701 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 21/677 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/683 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67742 (2013.01) [H01L 21/67196 (2013.01); H01L 21/67709 (2013.01); H01L 21/6838 (2013.01); H02K 2201/18 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A substrate transport apparatus for transporting a substrate to a substrate transport position, the apparatus comprising:
a transport unit including a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate, a base having a plurality of magnets therein and configured to move the substrate holder, and a link member configured to connect the substrate holder to the base; and
a planar motor having a main body and a plurality of electromagnetic coils arranged in the main body, wherein the electromagnetic coils are supplied with power to magnetically levitate and also linearly drive the base,
wherein the base includes a first member forming an exterior of the base and a second member having a columnar shape and rotatably provided inside the first member, and the magnets are provided inside the first member and the second member,
the link member is connected to the second member,
the number of the bases included in the transport unit is two, and
the planar motor rotates the second member with respect to the first member and moves the substrate holder away from or towards the base via the link member by rotating the second member, and
wherein the second member of each of the bases moves in a linear path toward or away from each other.