US 12,009,240 B2
Apparatus for transporting substrate, system for processing substrate, and method of transporting substrate
Takehiro Shindo, Nirasaki (JP); and Toshiaki Kodama, Nirasaki (JP)
Assigned to Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/656,431.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-058376 (JP), filed on Mar. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0319889 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 21/677 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67745 (2013.01) [H01L 21/67742 (2013.01); H01L 21/67748 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for transporting a substrate to/from a substrate processing chamber in which substrate processing is performed, the apparatus comprising:
a substrate transport chamber connected to the substrate processing chamber, and including a side wall having an opening through which carry-in/out of the substrate to/from the substrate processing chamber is performed and a movement surface provided with a first magnet;
a plate-shaped substrate transport module accommodated in the substrate transport chamber to hold the substrate, including a second magnet to which a magnetic force that is at least one of a repulsive force or an attractive force acting between the first magnet and the second magnet is applied, and configured to be movable along the movement surface in a state of floating from the movement surface using the magnetic force;
an angle adjusting mechanism provided in the substrate transport chamber to switch an angle of the movement surface between a first angle and a second angle which is closer to a vertical state than the first angle; and
a transport passage forming a portion of the substrate transport chamber, and including the movement surface at the second angle to which the movement surface switched to the second angle by the angle adjusting mechanism can be connected,
wherein the angle adjusting mechanism includes a rotation shaft that is installed at an end portion of the movement surface and disposed to extend in a front-rear direction, and
wherein the movement surface is configured to pivot around the rotation shaft.