Device for holding a substrate, method of holding a substrate, and apparatus for processing a substrate
An apparatus for processing a substrate may include a substrate holding part configured to maintain and support a substrate, a substrate transfer part configured to load the substrate onto the substrate holding part and to unload the substrate from the substrate holding part, and a substrate processing part configured to heat the substrate or to cool the substrate. The substrate holding part may include a plate configured to maintain and support the substrate, guide parts configured to move the substrate into a central region of the plate, and an alignment part configured to move the guide parts toward the central region of the plate utilizing a vacuum suction mechanism.
1 . A substrate holding device, comprising:
a plate configured to maintain and support a substrate;
at least one guide part extending from an upper portion of the plate near a periphery of the plate; and
an alignment part configured to align a movement of the at least one guide part from the periphery of the plate toward a central region of the plate via a vacuum force from a vacuum suction mechanism
the alignment part includes
a passage configured to extend from the periphery of the plate to the central region of the plate;
a vacuum providing part configured to apply a suction force to the at least one guide part through the passage; and
a path providing part configured to provide a path along which the at least one guide part moves from the periphery of the plate to the central region of the plate.
2 . The substrate holding device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide part includes an inclined portion being inclined toward the central region of the plate in a downward direction and a sidewall portion vertically extending from the inclined portion, and
wherein the inclined portion is configured to slideably move the substrate toward the central region as the substrate contacts the sidewall portion.
3 . The substrate holding device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide part includes 2N guide parts disposed adjacent to the periphery of the plate centering the central region of the plate, wherein N is a positive integer.
4 . The substrate holding device of claim 3 , wherein the 2N guide parts are disposed by a same distance along a circumference of the plate.
5 . The substrate holding device of claim 1 , wherein the path providing part is connected to the passage.
6 . The substrate holding device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate holding device includes at least one return part configured to return the at least one guide part from the central region of the plate to an initial position adjacent to the periphery of the plate.
7 . The substrate holding device of claim 6 , wherein the least one return part is configured to apply an elastic force to the at least one guide part.
8 . The substrate holding device of claim 6 , wherein the least one return part is configured to spray an air to the at least one guide part.
9 . A method of holding a substrate, comprising:
placing a substrate on a plate;
slidably moving guide parts toward a central region of the plate to guide the substrate to a desired position in the central region, the guide parts extending from an upper portion of the plate near a periphery of the plate prior to slidably moving toward the central region; and
aligning a movement of each one of the guide parts from the periphery of the plate toward a central region of the plate using an alignment part, of a plurality of alignment parts,
each one of the plurality of alignment parts including
a passage configured to extend from the periphery of the plate to the central region of the plate,
a vacuum providing part configured to apply a suction force to a respective one of the guide parts through the passage, and
a path providing part configured to provide a path along which a respective one of the guide parts moves from the periphery of the plate to the central region of the plate.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
returning the guide parts from the central region of the plate to initial positions adjacent to the periphery of the plate.
11 . An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
a substrate holding part configured to maintain and support a substrate;
a substrate transfer part configured to load the substrate onto the substrate holding part and to unload the substrate from the substrate holding part; and
a substrate processing part configured to heat the substrate or to cool the substrate,
wherein the substrate holding part includes
a plate configured to maintain and support the substrate;
guide parts extending from an upper portion of the plate near a periphery of the plate, the guide parts being configured to slideably move toward a central region of the plate to contact and move the substrate into the central region; and
an alignment part configured to align a movement of the guide parts toward the central region of the plate utilizing a vacuum suction mechanism.
12 . The apparatus for processing a substrate of claim 11 , further comprising:
a lift pin configured to selectively move the substrate holding part in an upward direction or in a downward direction.
13 . The apparatus for processing a substrate of claim 11 , wherein each of the guide parts includes an inclined portion being inclined toward the central region of the plate in a downward direction and a sidewall portion vertically extending from the inclined portion, and
wherein the substrate slidably moves on the inclined portion toward the central region of the plate as the substrate contacts the sidewall portion.
14 . The apparatus for processing a substrate of claim 11 , wherein the guide parts include 2N guide parts disposed adjacent to the periphery of the plate centering the central region of the plate, wherein N is a positive integer.
15 . The apparatus for processing a substrate of claim 11 , wherein the alignment part includes
a passage configured to extend from the periphery of the plate to the central region of the plate;
a vacuum providing part configured to apply a suction force to the guide parts through the passage; and
a path providing part configured to provide a path along which the guide parts move from the periphery of the plate to the central region of the plate.
16 . The apparatus for processing a substrate of claim 11 , wherein the substrate holding part further includes return parts configured to respectively return the guide parts from the central region of the plate to initial positions adjacent to the periphery.
17 . The apparatus for processing a substrate of claim 16 , wherein each of the return parts is configured to apply an elastic force to each of the guide parts.
18 . The apparatus for processing a substrate of claim 17 , wherein each of the return parts is configured to spray an air onto each one of the guide parts.