Substrate processing apparatus, substrate transfer method and substrate transfer device

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus can prevent photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure of a surface to be processed of a substrate to light, and can perform processing, such as cleaning, of a substrate surface while preventing photo-corrosion of, e.g., copper interconnects due to exposure to light. The substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing areas housing therein processing units which have been subjected to light shielding processing; and at least one transfer area housing therein a transfer robot and disposed between two adjacent ones of the plurality of processing areas. A light shielding wall is provided between the transfer area and each of the two adjacent processing areas, and a light-shielding maintenance door is provided for the front opening of the transfer area. The processing units are coupled to the light shielding walls in a light-shielding manner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate transfer method comprising:
 supporting a periphery of a substrate by a pair of support arms, a predetermined clearance being formed between each of the support arms and a peripheral end portion of the substrate; and   moving the support arms and the substrate by a movement mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate transfer method according to  claim 1 , further comprising reversing the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . A substrate transfer method according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the support arms has a groove which consists of a cylindrical surface, an upper tapered surface extending obliquely upward from an upper end of the cylindrical surface, and a lower tapered surface extending obliquely downward from a lower end of the cylindrical surface, and the peripheral end portion of the substrate is inserted into the groove, the predetermined clearance being formed between the cylindrical surface and the peripheral end portion of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . A substrate transfer method according to  claim 3 , further comprising reversing the support arms which support the substrate, the peripheral end portion of the substrate being supported on the upper tapered surface. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate transfer method according to  claim 4 , wherein the upper tapered surface and the lower tapered surface have symmetrical shapes. 
     
     
         6 . A substrate transfer device comprising:
 a pair of support arms each for supporting a peripheral end portion of a substrate;   an opening/closing mechanism for moving the support arms away from and closer to each other; and   a movement mechanism coupled to the opening/closing mechanism,   wherein the opening/closing mechanism moves the support arms closer to each other until a predetermined clearance is formed between each of the support arms and the peripheral end portion of the substrate, and   wherein the movement mechanism moves the support arms and the substrate while maintaining the predetermined clearance.   
     
     
         7 . The substrate transfer device according to  claim 6 , further comprising a reversing mechanism for reversing the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate transfer device according to  claim 6 , further comprising a substrate detector for detecting the presence or absence of the substrate. 
     
     
         9 . A substrate transfer device according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the support arms has a groove which consists of a cylindrical surface, an upper tapered surface extending obliquely upward from an upper end of the cylindrical surface, and a lower tapered surface extending obliquely downward from a lower end of the cylindrical surface, and the opening/closing mechanism moves the support arms until the peripheral end portion of the substrate is inserted into the groove, the predetermined clearance being formed between the cylindrical surface and the peripheral end portion of the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate transfer device according to  claim 9 , further comprising a reversing mechanism for reversing the support arms which support the substrate, the peripheral end portion of the substrate being supported on the upper tapered surface. 
     
     
         11 . The substrate transfer device according to  claim 10 , further comprising a substrate detector for detecting the presence or absence of the substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The substrate transfer device according to  claim 10 , wherein the upper tapered surface and the lower tapered surface have symmetrical shapes.