Substrate treating apparatus and substrate transporting method
View Patent ↗A substrate treating apparatus and a substrate transporting method wherein a platform is disposed on a first ID block, and a platform is placed on a second ID block. A currently-used carrier platform is provided only on the first ID block. Accordingly, a substrate is transported in both a forward path and a return path between the first ID block and a second treating block. The substrate is returned not to the first ID block but to the second ID block disposed between the two treating blocks in the return path.
1. A substrate treating apparatus for treating a substrate, comprising:
a plurality of treating blocks arranged in line; and
a first indexer block connected to a treating block of the treating blocks on a first end and on which a first carrier platform for placing a carrier capable of accommodating a plurality of substrates thereon is disposed; and
a second indexer block disposed between at least one treating block on a first end side and at least one treating block on a second end side of the treating blocks and on which a plurality of second carrier platforms for placing a carrier thereon is disposed; wherein
the second indexer block takes one substrate from the carrier placed on a first platform of the second carrier platforms and sends the taken substrate to the at least one treating block on the second end side,
the at least one treating block on the second end side performs a predetermined treatment on the sent substrate,
the second indexer block returns the substrate treated in the at least one treating block on the second end side to the carrier placed on the first platform,
the second indexer block takes one substrate from the carrier placed on a second platform of the second carrier platforms and sends the taken substrate to the at least one treating block on the first end side,
the at least one treating block on the first end side performs a predetermined treatment on the sent substrate, and
the first indexer block returns the substrate treated in the at least one treating block on the first end side to the carrier placed on the first carrier platform,
the substrate treating apparatus further comprising:
a carrier transport mechanism configured to transport the carrier between the first carrier platform and the second carrier platforms; wherein
the carrier transport mechanism is mounted on the at least one treating block on the first end side.
2. A substrate transporting method for a substrate treating apparatus including:
a plurality of treating blocks arranged in line; and
a first indexer block connected to a treating block of the treating blocks on a first end and on which a first carrier platform for placing a carrier capable of accommodating a plurality of substrates thereon is disposed; the method comprising:
a first taking and sending step of causing a second indexer block, disposed between at least one treating block on a first end side and at least one treating block on a second end side of the treating blocks, to take one substrate from the carrier placed on a first platform of second carrier platforms in the second indexer block and to send the taken substrate to the at least one treating block on the second end side;
a first treating step of causing the at least one treating block on the second end side to perform a predetermined treatment on the sent substrate;
a first returning step of causing the second indexer block to return back the substrate treated in the at least one treating block on the second end side to the carrier placed on the first platform,
a second taking and sending step of causing the second indexer block to take one substrate from the carrier placed on a second platform of the second carrier platforms and to send the taken substrate to the at least one treating block on the first end side,
a second treating step of causing the at least one treating block on the first end side to perform a predetermined treatment on the sent substrate; and
a second returning step of causing the first indexer block to return the substrate treated in the at least one treating block on the first end side to the carrier placed on the first carrier platform,
the substrate treating apparatus further including:
a carrier transport mechanism configured to transport the carrier between the first carrier platform and the second carrier platforms; wherein
the carrier transport mechanism is mounted on the at least one treating block on the first end side.