Vacuum attraction type substrate holding device

Claim 2

A vacuum attraction type substrate holding system, comprising: a vacuum source; a distributor for distributing a vacuum from said vacuum source into a plurality of vacuum lines; a plurality of vacuum attraction type substrate holding portions corresponding to said vacuum lines, respectively, each of said substrate holding portions including a three-way valve for control of a supply of one of a vacuum and an ambience pressure to the corresponding substrate holding portions, wherein the control of each valve is influential to control attraction of a substrate to and release of a substrate from a corresponding substrate holding portion; and a plurality of restriction valves each being disposed between said distributor and a corresponding one of said three-way valves, for resisting gas flowing from the corresponding three-way valve.

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the opening of each of said restriction valves.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls the opening of each of said restriction valves so that said substrate holding portions have different attracting pressures.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls the opening of at least one of said restriction valves so that the attracting pressure of a corresponding substrate holding portion changes with time.

Claim 6

A vacuum attraction type substrate holding system, comprising: a vacuum source; a distributor for distributing a vacuum from said vacuum source into a plurality of vacuum lines; a plurality of vacuum attraction type substrate holding portions corresponding to said vacuum lines, respectively, each of said substrate holding portions including a valve which is openable and closable for control of a supply of a vacuum to the corresponding substrate holding portions, wherein the opening and closing of each valve is influential to control attraction of a substrate to and release of a substrate from a corresponding substrate holding portion; a plurality of restriction valves each being disposed between said distributor and a corresponding one of said valves, for resisting gas flowing from the corresponding valve; and a plurality of vacuum sensors each being provided between a corresponding one of said valves and a corresponding one of said substrate holding portions, for detecting the attracting pressure of the corresponding substrate holding portion.

Claim 7

A vacuum attraction type substrate holding system, comprising: a vacuum source; a distributor for distributing a vacuum from said vacuum source into a plurality of vacuum lines; a plurality of vacuum attraction type substrate holding portions corresponding to said vacuum lines, respectively, each of said substrate holding portions including a valve which is openable and closable for control of a supply of a vacuum to the corresponding substrate holding portions, wherein the opening and closing of each valve is influential to control attraction of a substrate to and release of a substrate from a corresponding substrate holding portion; a plurality of restriction valves each being disposed between said distributor and a corresponding one of said valves, for resisting gas flowing from the corresponding valve; and a plurality of vacuum sensors each being provided between a corresponding one of said valves and a corresponding one of said substrate holding portions, for detecting the attracting pressure of the corresponding substrate holding portion.

Claim 8

A system according to claim 5, further comprising control means for controlling the opening of each of said restriction valves on the basis of an output of a corresponding one of said vacuum sensors.

Claim 9

A system according to claim 6, further comprising a pressure sensor for detecting an ambience pressure of said substrate holding portions, wherein said control means controls the opening of each restriction valve on the basis of an output of said pressure sensor.

Claim 10

A system according to claim 1, further comprising a chamber for accommodating said substrate holding portions and said valves in a predetermined ambience, and wherein said restriction valves are disposed outside said chamber.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 8, further comprising control means for controlling the opening of each of said restriction valves.

Claim 12

A system according to claim 9, wherein said control means controls the opening of each of said restriction valves so that said substrate holding portions have different attracting pressures.

Claim 13

A system according to claim 9, wherein said control means controls the opening of at least one of said restriction valves so that the attracting pressure of a corresponding substrate holding portion changes with time.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 8, further comprising a plurality of vacuum sensors each being provided between a corresponding one of said valves and a corresponding one of said substrate holding portions, for detecting the attracting pressure of the corresponding substrate holding portion.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 12, further comprising control means for controlling the opening of each of said restriction valves on the basis of an output of a corresponding one of said vacuum sensors.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 13, further comprising a pressure sensor for detecting an ambience pressure of said substrate holding portions, and wherein said control means controls the opening of each restriction valve on the basis of an output of said pressure sensor.

Claim 17

A system according to claim 8, wherein the inside of said chamber is maintained at a predetermined reduced ambience pressure.

Claim 18

A vacuum attraction type substrate holding method, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of vacuum attraction type substrate holding portions each being coupled to a vacuum source and each having a corresponding valve for control of a vacuum supply thereto from the vacuum source; providing restriction means for each substrate holding portion, at a position upstream of the corresponding valve with respect to the vacuum supply direction, for restricting flow of the vacuum supply; causing a first substrate holding portion to attract a substrate and then causing a second substrate holding portion to attract the same substrate; moving the second substrate holding portion to a predetermined position; and controlling the restriction of the flow of the vacuum supply by at least one of the restriction means.

Claim 19

A vacuum attraction type substrate holding method, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of vacuum attraction type substrate holding portions each being coupled to a vacuum source and each having a corresponding valve for control of a vacuum supply thereto from the vacuum source; providing restriction means for each substrate holding portion, at a position upstream of the corresponding valve with respect to the vacuum supply direction, for restricting flow of the vacuum supply; causing a first substrate holding portion to attract a substrate and then causing a second substrate holding portion to attract the same substrate; moving the second substrate holding portion to a predetermined position; and controlling the restriction of the flow of the vacuum supply by at least one of the restriction means.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 16, further comprising providing a resistance to a gas flow form the valve by the restriction means.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 16, wherein each restriction means has a variable opening, and further comprising controlling the attracting pressure of a substrate holding portion by controlling the opening of the restriction means.

Claim 22

A system according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor wafer and said system is used for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

Claim 23

A system according to claim 5, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor wafer and said system is used for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

Claim 24

A semiconductor device manufacturing method usable with a wafer, said method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of vacuum attraction type wafer holding chucks each being coupled to a vacuum source and each having a corresponding valve for control of a vacuum supply thereto from the vacuum source; providing restriction means for each wafer holding chuck, at a position upstream of the corresponding valve with respect to the vacuum supply direction, for restricting flow of the vacuum supply; causing a first wafer holding chuck to attract the wafer and then causing a second wafer holding chuck to attract the same wafer; moving the second wafer holding chuck to an exposure position; and controlling the restriction of the flow of the vacuum supply by at least one of the restriction means.

Claim 25

A semiconductor device manufacturing method usable with a wafer, said method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of vacuum attraction type wafer holding chucks each being coupled to a vacuum source and each having a corresponding valve for control of a vacuum supply thereto from the vacuum source; providing restriction means for each wafer holding chuck, at a position upstream of the corresponding valve with respect to the vacuum supply direction, for restricting flow of the vacuum supply; causing a first wafer holding chuck to attract the wafer and then causing a second wafer holding chuck to attract the same wafer; moving the second wafer holding chuck to an exposure position; and controlling the restriction of the flow of the vacuum supply by at least one of the restriction means.