The present invention has as an object the provision of a light irradiation device capable of performing optical cleaning with high stability regardless of the transport speed of a workpiece. The light irradiation device of the present invention emits ultraviolet light to one surface of a band-shaped workpiece transported along a transport path, and includes a lamp house having an opening along a passing plane on a side of the one surface of the workpiece in the transport path, an ultraviolet lamp provided in the lamp house so as to extend in a width direction of the workpiece, gas supplier configured to supply a treatment-space gas into the lamp house, and an exhaust space forming member having an opening along a passing plane on a side of the other surface of the workpiece in the transport path. The treatment-space gas is produced by mixing a gas containing oxygen and/or water with an inert gas serving as a principal component, and a shielding body for forming a gas circulation resistance bottleneck between the shielding body and each edge part of the workpiece is provided in the opening of the lamp house.

A conveyor system is configured to transport the electronic substrates through cleaning modules of a cleaning apparatus. The conveyor system includes a first outer frame member, a second outer frame member, a bottom belt assembly disposed between the first outer frame member and the second outer frame member, and a top belt assembly spaced from the bottom belt assembly. The bottom belt assembly and the top belt assembly are configured to an electronic substrate therebetween to transport the electronic substrate along the conveyor system and through the at least one cleaning module. The bottom belt assembly or the top belt assembly includes a mesh material belt fabricated from heat resistant synthetic fibers. The conveyor system further includes a plurality of pins secured to the bottom belt assembly or the top belt assembly to create at least one lane along a length of the conveyor system.

There is a substrate transfer apparatus comprising: a circular tube having a tube axis extending in a lateral direction and having a transfer region for a substrate in the circular tube; a magnetic field generating portion having a magnetic field generating surface facing the transfer region and configured to generate a magnetic field on the magnetic field generating surface; and a transfer body configured to transfer the substrate while moving in a plane direction of the magnetic field generating surface in a state that the transfer body is distant from the magnetic field generating surface by the magnetic field.

In a laser irradiation apparatus 1 according to one embodiment, each of first and second flotation units 30a, 30b includes a base 31, and a porous plate 32 bonded to an upper surface of the base 31 by an adhesive layer 34, the base 31 includes a rising portion 312 protruding upward at an outer periphery facing at least the gap, and the porous plate 32 includes a cutout portion 321 configured to fit to the rising portion 312, and the adhesive layer 34 is formed along an inner wall of the rising portion 312 having fitted to the cutout portion 321.

Various embodiments herein relate to carriers for supporting one or more substrate as the substrates are passed through a processing apparatus. In many cases, the substrates are oriented in a vertical manner. The carrier may include a frame and vertical support bars that secure the glass to the frame. The carrier may lack horizontal support bars. The carrier may allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the substrates, without any need to provide precise gaps between adjacent pairs of substrates. The carriers described herein substantially reduce the risk of breaking the processing apparatus and substrates, thereby achieving a more efficient process. Certain embodiments herein relate to methods of loading substrates onto a carrier.

A method of the invention which manufactures a substrate with a transparent conductive film, includes: preparing a base body that has a top surface and a back surface and has an a-Si film coating at least one of the top surface and the back surface; and setting temperatures of the base body and the a-Si film to be in the range of 70 to 220° C. in a film formation space having a processing gas containing hydrogen, applying a sputtering voltage to a target, carrying out DC sputtering, and thereby forming the a-Si film on a transparent conductive film.

A laser irradiation apparatus includes a laser generation device, a levitation unit to levitate an object to which the laser light is applied, and a conveyance unit to convey the levitated object. The conveyance unit includes a holding mechanism for holding the object by absorption, and a moving mechanism for moving the holding mechanism in a conveyance direction. The holding mechanism includes a base including a plurality of through holes, a plurality of pipes respectively connected to the through holes, a vacuum generation device configured to evacuate air from the pipes, and a plurality of absorption assistance valves each disposed in the middle of a respective one of the pipes, each of the plurality of absorption assistance valves being configured to be closed when a flow rate of a gas flowing into the pipe through the through hole becomes equal to or higher than a threshold.

A method and system for connecting electronic assemblies and/or for manufacturing workpieces, having a plurality of modules for connecting the electronic assemblies, includes at least one module configured as a loading station and/or unloading station. At least one further module is configured as a manufacturing station. A manufacturing workpiece carrier is provided for accommodating the electronic assemblies and/or the workpieces, and is movable in automated manner by way of a conveying unit from the loading station via the manufacturing station to the unloading station. The system is configured in particular for assembly line production. In a secondary aspect, a foil/film transfer unit is proposed which provides automated application of foils/films as a process cover in the loading station.

A workpiece conveyance apparatus having: a conveyance path on which the workpiece moves; a gas flotation section that gas-floats the workpiece over the conveyance path; a movable holding section that holds the workpiece to move on the conveyance path along with the workpiece; and a treatment region conveyance path that is located on the conveyance path, and has a treatment region where predetermined treatment for the workpiece is performed, wherein the movable holding section has at least two or more holding sections along a movement direction of the conveyance path, each of the holding sections is capable of switching between release of holding and holding for the workpiece during movement of the workpiece, operation for releasing holding of the workpiece by the holding section on the treatment region conveyance path, and holding the workpiece on the conveyance path other than the treatment region conveyance path.

A substrate rotator configured to rotate one or more substrates includes a body, a body actuator coupled to the body and configured to rotate the body, and a first and second gripper coupled to the body. A substrate edge metrology system that measures side chips or other defects on all sides of the substrate is also described. The metrology system includes two metrology stations and the substrate rotator. Methods for measuring side chips or other defects on a substrate are also provided. The method includes performing metrology on a first set of sides of the first substrate, rotating the first substrate by a first angle, and performing metrology on the second set of sides of the first substrate.