Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

One transport robot transports an FOUP among a load port, a third mounting section, and a shelf array. The other transport robot, which is disposed on the reverse side of the one transport robot with the shelf array interposed between the two, transports an FOUP between the shelf array and a second mounting section. Executed in the third mounting section are mapping processing and transportation of a substrate encased in an FOUP to a substrate processing unit. This enables a plurality of transportations to be executed at almost the same time. Additionally, the two transport robots can execute transportation of an FOUP without mutual spatial interference.

1 . A substrate processing apparatus that performs processing of a substrate, comprising: 
 a substrate processing unit to perform processing of a substrate;    a cassette storing and transporting unit that stores and transports a cassette to encase a substrate, and that is disposed side by side with respect to said substrate processing unit; and    a first mounting section that mounts said cassette and is disposed side by side with respect to said cassette storing and transporting unit,    said cassette storing and transporting unit having:    a plurality of shelves to hold a cassette;    a second mounting section that mounts a cassette and is disposed between said substrate processing unit and said plurality of shelves;    a first transporting section to transport a cassette between said first mounting section and said plurality of shelves; and    a second transporting section to transport a cassette between said plurality of shelves and said second mounting section.    
   
   
       2 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said first transporting section is disposed between said first mounting section and said plurality of shelves, and transports a cassette from a direction of one side of said plurality of shelves to said plurality of shelves.    
   
   
       3 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said second transporting section is disposed between said substrate processing unit and said plurality of shelves, and transports a cassette from a direction of the other side of said plurality of shelves to said plurality of shelves.    
   
   
       4 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said first transporting section and said second transporting section have a holding element to hold a cassette from the underside of said cassette; and    said plurality of shelves have a passage section to allow said holding element to pass through in the vertical direction.    
   
   
       5 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 said cassette storing and transporting unit mounts a cassette and further has a judging section to judge the situation with regard to a substrate encased in a cassette.    
   
   
       6 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 said first transporting section transports a cassette between said judging section and said first mounting section.    
   
   
       7 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 said cassette storing and transporting unit further having:    an alignment section to adjust the position of a substrate; and    a third transporting section that takes out substrates one by one from a cassette mounted on said judging section and transports them to said alignment section, and that transports substrates one by one, the position of which is adjusted in said alignment section, to a cassette mounted on said judging section.    
   
   
       8 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said plurality of shelves are arranged in two dimensions along the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.    
   
   
       9 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said cassette storing and transporting unit further comprises a lifting mechanism that causes a cassette mounted on said second mounting section to ascend and descend while holding said cassette.    
   
   
       10 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 said judging section has:    an opening and closing mechanism to open and close a lid of a cassette existing in said judging section; and    a counting mechanism to count the number of substrates encased in a cassette that is opened and closed by said opening and closing mechanism.    
   
   
       11 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an opening and closing mechanism to open and close a lid of a cassette mounted on said second mounting section.    
   
   
       12 . The substrate processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 said substrate processing unit has a transporting mechanism to load and unload a substrate with respect to a cassette mounted on said second mounting section.