Ulvac, Inc.

Makoto Takahashi

Hirofumi Minami

Junpei Yuyama

Mitsuru Yahagi

Yasuzo Tanaka

Shinya Ito

Yuya Inoue

Hisato Tanaka

Tamotsu Tanifuji

Kuniyoshi Sekine

A substrate transfer processing apparatus capable of processing a substrate at high speed is provided. A mounting table on which a substrate is mounted includes a plate-shaped main body and a recessed part formed in a rear surface of the plate-shaped main body. Since the mounting table is lightweight as compared to the mounting table before the recessed part is formed therein, the load on a motor is small and the running cost is low even when the mounting table is moved at high speed. Because the plate-shaped main body is made of granite, the mounting surface can be made flat and smooth by polishing. Since the mounting surface is flat and smooth, the accuracy in positioning the substrate is high.

Substrate transfer processing apparatus

Provided is a substrate stage which can transfer a substrate at a high speed. In the substrate stage of the present invention, auxiliary mounting tables are attached to a main mounting table, and lower rails are arranged over on the main mounting table and above the auxiliary mounting tables. When both ends of the lower rails are bent upwardly by a vertically adjusting unit in order to prevent the both ends of the lower rails to be bent downwardly, the lower rails are made straight. Since the lower rail is not divided, the linearity is ensured and the moving plate does not stutter so that transfer of the substrate at high speed can be performed.

Stage

A stage apparatus enables easy position alignment at a real installation site. Mountshaving sub base platesarranged thereon are provided on carriagesand thereby constitute sub mounting tablesto; and the mountsare fixed to a main mounting tablehaving a main base plate. The positions of main base plateand sub base platesare aligned with each other by adjustment mechanismsprovided on the sub mounting tablesto. As main positioning membersand sub positioning membersare arranged on the main mounting tableand sub mounting tablesto, separation can be performed so that a state of position alignment is restorable. Accordingly, position alignment is easy when assembling after transportation.

Stage apparatus

An assembling method that is high in assembly accuracy and easily performed at the actual installation site is provided. In this method, the sub base plates on the sub mounting tables are aligned with respect to a main base plate on a main mounting table at a temporary installation site, and the state thereof is maintained. Then, the main mounting table and the sub mounting tables are separated from each other to be transferred to the actual installation site, and the positioning state is restored at the actual installation site. Since a positional alignment can be performed at the temporary installation site, the work required at the actual installation site can be reduced. Furthermore, since a fine adjustment can be performed at the actual installation site, the accuracy in the positional alignment can be improved.

Stage apparatus assembling method

A stage apparatus that achieves a high accuracy in assembling and enables easy work at a real installation site. In a stage apparatus of the present invention, sub rails are arranged on respective sub base plates, which are connected respectively with the first and second main rails on a main base plate to extend the first and second main rails. Accordingly, when the sub base plates are fixed to the main base platewith positional alignment performed therebetween, the accuracy in positional alignment of the sub base plates which has already been fixed to the main base plate is not affected.

Growing community of inventors

Hidaka, Japan

Makoto Takahashi