Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for backside stress engineering of substrates to combat film stresses and bowing issues. In one embodiment, a method of depositing a film layer on a backside of a substrate is provided. The method includes flipping a substrate at a factory interface so that the backside of the substrate is facing up, and transferring the flipped substrate from the factory interface to a physical vapor deposition chamber to deposit a film layer on the backside of the substrate. In another embodiment, an apparatus for depositing a backside film layer on a backside of a substrate, which includes a substrate supporting surface configured to support the substrate at or near the periphery of the substrate supporting surface without contacting an active region on a front side of the substrate.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing section that performs a batch process to a plurality of substrates. A first substrate transport mechanism removes one of substrates contained in a substrate container placed on a stage, and transport the substrate to a position adjusting unit, in which the position of the substrate in the rotating direction of the substrate is adjusted, and transports the substrate back to the substrate container. Then a second substrate transport mechanism collectively removes from the substrate container the substrates whose positions in the rotating direction have been adjusted by the position adjusting unit.

A gripper arrangement adapted for gripping a cleanroom container, such as a FOUP, FOSB or reticle container and a method therefore, includes: a gripper adapted to grip the cleanroom container; a lifting unit comprising a first motor for lifting the gripper; at least one cord connecting the gripper with the lifting unit, wherein the at least one cord is driven by the first motor; a second motor for rotating at least a portion of the gripper with respect to the lifting unit around the vertical axis; wherein the gripper comprises engagement elements and the lifting unit comprises complementary engagement elements adapted to engage with the engagement elements for preventing a rotation around the vertical axis of the gripper with respect to the lifting unit; wherein the gripper comprises an upper gripper element and a lower gripper element; wherein the lower gripper element is adapted for supporting the top flange of the cleanroom container; and the lower gripper element comprises an opening that can be passed over the upper flange of the cleanroom container and at least one recess formed at least partially around the opening for accommodating the upper flange of the cleanroom container.

Substrate holding hand attached to hand tip portion of manipulator and configured to hold substrate having circular plate shape and placed in vertical or inclined postures, including: base plate spreading from base toward tip end sides, part of base plate located at base end side, fixed to hand tip portion, holding position at base plate; engaging claw at part of base plate located at tip end side, engaging claw configured to engage part of edge of substrate in vertical or inclined postures, part of edge located lower than center of substrate; moving portion at base end side of holding position and configured to move toward tip end side; and plurality of rotating bodies at the moving portion, being pressed by movement against edge of substrate located lower than holding position and engaged with claw, and plurality of rotating bodies pushing substrate upward holding position while rotating along edge of substrate.

A method for transporting an article used in semiconductor fabrication is provided. The method includes moving a first transporter next to an article to have the article faces a plurality of gas holes formed on the first transporter; suspending the article with the first transporter in a non-contact manner by providing a flow of gas through the gas holes of the first transporter; and transferring the article with the first transporter while the flow of gas is continuously provided.

An electronic element inspection equipment is provided, which is adapted to inspect an electronic element. The electronic element inspection equipment includes a first transmission track, a first rotational unit, a first image capturing device, a second image capturing device, a third image capturing device, a second rotational unit, a fourth image capturing device, and a second transmission track. The first rotational unit rotates around a first axis. When the first rotational unit moves the electronic element, the first image capturing device, the second image capturing device, and the third image capturing device capture images of the electronic element. The second rotational unit rotates around a second axis, wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis. When the second rotational unit moves the electronic element, the fourth image capturing device captures one image of the electronic element.

In a substrate transporter, a carry-in-and-out mechanism transports a substrate placed in a horizontal posture. A notch aligner rotates a substrate in a circumferential direction to change a circumferential position of a notch. The carry-in-and-out mechanism includes four supporters that oppose a lower surface of the peripheral portion of the substrate. In the substrate transporter, a controller controls the notch aligner on the basis of warpage-and-notch-position information and input information that is input about the warped state of the substrate, to determine the circumferential position of the notch of the substrate. Thus, the lower surface of the substrate placed on the transport mechanism comes into contact with the four supporters of the transport mechanism. As a result, it is possible to prevent or suppress the occurrence of rattling or misalignment of the substrate during transport by the transport mechanism, and enables stable transport of the substrate.

Provided is a substrate holding device that inhibits drop in holding accuracy of a substrate. A Bernoulli chucking pad suctions and holds a front surface or a back surface of a substrate S. A position determiner 54 is capable of pushing the substrate S in contact with a side surface 82 of the substrate S, and positioning the suctioned substrate S. A pin 66 enables the position determiner 54 to come in contact with the side surface 82 of the substrate S. The pin 66 brings the position determiner 54 into contact with the side surface 82 of the substrate S, and the position determiner 54 thereby positions the substrate S.

A turn table transport carriage configured to carry a turn table removed from a polishing apparatus or turn table which is to be disposed to the polishing apparatus, turn table transport carriage including a turn table holding section configured to hold the turn table, support base which supports the turn table holding section from a lower side, elevating mechanism which moves up and down the turn table holding section, and inclination mechanism which inclines the turn table holding section holding the turn table, the turn table transport carriage being characterized by enabling carrying the turn table in a state where the turn table holding section holding the turn table is inclined by the inclination mechanism. Consequently, there is provided the turn table transport carriage which has a narrow width at the time of carrying the turn table and can reduce a width of a passage for carrying the turntable.

An overhead transport vehicle includes: a traveler; a main body; a transferer including a holder, a mover, and a rotator, and which receives or delivers an article from or to a transfer destination; and a controller. The main body has an inner wall at a position at which the article held by the holder comes in contact therewith when the holder set at a storing position is rotated by a predetermined angle by the rotator. The controller causes the traveler to travel while the holder is at the storing position, and when the article is received or delivered, causes the rotator to rotate the holder by a predetermined angle or more about a rotation axis in a state where the holder is set at an exiting position by the mover to align the article with a prescribed orientation of the transfer destination.