US 12,451,389 B2
Conveying apparatus and conveying method of substrate
Yuto Maeda, Tokyo (JP); and Naoaki Tadami, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to DISCO CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by DISCO CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/651,472.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-035760 (JP), filed on Mar. 5, 2021; and application No. 2021-174070 (JP), filed on Oct. 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0281121 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 21/687 (2006.01); B25J 9/04 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); H01L 21/683 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/68707 (2013.01) [B25J 9/042 (2013.01); B25J 11/0095 (2013.01); B25J 15/0691 (2013.01); H01L 21/6838 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A conveying apparatus having a holding surface that holds a held surface of a substrate to convey the substrate, the conveying apparatus comprising:
a holding pad that gets contact with an outer circumferential part of the held surface of the substrate or a side surface of the substrate and forms a space to be filled with water between the held surface of the substrate and the holding surface;
a movement unit that causes the holding pad to move in such a direction as to get closer to or further away from the held surface;
a water supply unit that supplies the water to the space; and
a suction unit that sucks the water with which the space is filled and improves a force of holding the substrate,
wherein the conveying apparatus holds the substrate by the holding surface of the holding pad and conveys the substrate with interposition of the water, and
wherein the suction unit has a plurality of suction pumps that are connected to a first suction source and the space and includes an opening-closing valve controlled to suck a certain amount of water with which the space is filled, the suction pumps disposed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the holding pad.
 
9. A conveying method of a substrate in which a held surface of the substrate is held by a holding surface of a holding pad and the substrate is conveyed, the conveying method comprising:
a water supply step of supplying water to the held surface of the substrate;
after the water supply step, a holding pad contact step of bringing an outer circumferential part of the held surface of the substrate or a side surface of the substrate into contact with the holding surface and forming a space to be filled with the water;
after the holding pad contact step, a suction step of sucking, with a suction unit, the water with which the space is filled and improving a force of holding the substrate, the suction unit having a plurality of suction pumps that are connected to a first suction source and the space and includes an opening-closing valve controlled to suck a certain amount of water with which the space is filled, the suction pumps disposed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the holding pad; and
after the suction step, a conveyance step of conveying the substrate held by the holding pad with interposition of the water.