Substrate transfer apparatus and substrate transfer method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077392-B2
Application number	US-202117315423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2021
Priority date	May 11, 2020
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A substrate transfer apparatus includes: a non-conductive support with an upper surface that faces a substrate and supports the substrate; a mover that moves the support to transfer the substrate; a connector that connects the support and the mover while being grounded; a conductive contact that is provided on the upper surface of the support, and supports the substrate in contact with a lower surface of the substrate such that the substrate is not brought into contact with the support; a strip-shaped conductive path that is provided to connect the contact and the connector. The strip-shaped conductive path is provided with a bent portion such that an interval of the strip-shaped conductive path formed by the bent portion is at least twice a width of the strip-shaped conductive path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate transfer apparatus comprising:
a non-conductive support having an upper surface that faces a substrate and is configured to support the substrate;
a mover configured to move the support and transfer the substrate;
a connector configured to connect the support and the mover while being grounded;
a conductive contact provided in a recess on the upper surface of the support, and configured to support the substrate in contact with a lower surface of the substrate such that the substrate is not brought into contact with the support; and
a strip-shaped conductive path configured to connect the contact and the connector, wherein the strip-shaped conductive path is provided with a bent portion such that an interval of the strip-shaped conductive path formed by the bent portion is at least twice a width of the strip-shaped conductive path.

2. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support includes a cover formed by a conductive member in a region separated from the contact and connected to the connector,
the strip-shaped conductive path is configured to connect the contact and the cover, thereby connecting the contact and the connector, and
an interval between the cover and the contact is equal to or larger than the interval of the strip-shaped conductive path formed by the bent portion.

3. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the strip-shaped conductive path is formed along the upper surface of the support and surfaces other than the upper surface, and
one end portion of the strip-shaped conductive path connected to the contact is provided on the upper surface of the support.

4. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the strip-shaped conductive path is formed by a conductive member provided on the surface of the support,
the strip-shaped conductive path constitutes a part of the conductive member provided on the upper surface of the support,
the upper surface of the support includes a first surface and a second surface closer to the substrate than the first surface, and
another portion of the conductive member is provided on the second surface, and the one end portion of the strip-shaped conductive path is provided on the first surface.

5. The substrate transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support further includes a guide configured to come into contact with a side wall of the substrate and regulate a position of the substrate with respect to the support,
a conductive path connecting the guide and the connector is provided on each surface of the support and the guide, and
a resistance value between the guide and the connector is higher than a resistance value between the contact and the connector.

6. A substrate transfer method comprising:
causing an upper surface of a non-conductive support to face a substrate, thereby supporting the substrate;
moving the support by a mover connected to the support via a connector that is grounded, thereby transferring the substrate;
supporting the substrate in contact with a lower surface of the substrate such that the substrate is not brought into contact with the support, by a conductive contact provided in a recess on an upper surface of the support; and
transferring electric charges of the substrate to the connector via a strip-shaped conductive path provided to connect the contact and the connector,
wherein the strip-shaped conductive path is provided with a bent portion such that an interval of the strip-shaped conductive path formed by the bent portion is at least twice a width of the strip-shaped conductive path.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Hashima Hitoshi
• Tochihara Tohru
• Matsushita Michiaki
• Kiyama Hidekazu

Classifications

• H10P72/7614

  characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions · CPC title

• H10P72/7602 Primary

  the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance · CPC title

• H10P72/3402

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title

• H10P72/78 Primary

  using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks · CPC title

• H10P72/3302

  Mechanical parts of transfer devices · CPC title