Sample processing system

Abstract

This invention is to provide a processing system suitable for manufacturing an SOI substrate. A processing system includes a scalar robot for conveying a bonded substrate stack held by a robot hand, and a centering apparatus, separating apparatus, inverting apparatus, and cleaning/drying apparatus disposed at substantially equidistant positions from a driving shaft of the scalar robot. When the robot hand is pivoted about the driving shaft in the horizontal plane and moved close to or away from the driving shaft, a bonded substrate stack or separated substrate is conveyed among the processing apparatuses.

1 . A processing method for processing a plate shaped sample, the method comprising: 
 separating the plate shaped sample into upper and lower samples while substantially horizontally holding the plate shaped sample; and    pivoting the separated upper sample through about 180°.    
   
   
       2 - 40 . (canceled)  
   
   
       41 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 cleaning and/or drying the separated lower sample; and    cleaning and/or drying the separated upper sample after the separated upper sample has been pivoted through about 180 degrees.    
   
   
       42 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 cleaning the separated lower sample by using a cleaning apparatus; and    cleaning the separated and pivoted upper sample by using the cleaning apparatus after the cleaning of the separated lower sample has been completed.    
   
   
       43 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 storing the separated upper and lower samples in respective cassettes in a state that separated surface of the separated upper and lower samples are directed to an upward direction.    
   
   
       44 . A semiconductor substrate manufacturing method comprising; 
 bonding a first substrate having a semiconductor layer and a separation layer under the semiconductor layer, and a second substrate to form a bonded substrate stack having an insulating layer, the semiconductor layer and the separation layer, and    separating the bonded substrate stack into upper and lower substrates at the separation layer while substantially holding the bonded substrate stack, one of the separated upper and lower substrates including an SOI structure;    inverting the separated upper substrate so as to direct a separated surface of the separated upper substrate to an upward direction;    processing the separated substrate including the SOI structure to remove the remaining separation layer, and    processing the separated substrate not including the SOI structure to remove the remaining separation layer for recycling.