Apparatus for transporting a wafer and a carrier used for the same

DETAILED DESCRIPTION An object of the present invention is to provide a wafer transporting apparatus which is capable of simplifying a wafer transporting mechanism.
Another object of the preset invention is to provide a wafer transporting apparatus which is capable of ensuring a predetermined work precision over the entire surface of a wafer.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a wafer transporting apparatus which is capable of preventing undesired substances from depositing on the surface of a wafer.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a wafer supporting carrier which is suitable for use in the above wafer transporting apparatus.
According to the present invention, an apparatus for transporting a wafer comprises at least one carrier for supporting a substantially circular thin wafer having a flat plane, with the carrier including a supporting base for supporting the wafer thereon, and electrostatic attracting means or electrostatic chuck provided in the supporting base and having a contacting surface which face-wise contacts the flat plane of the wafer supported on the supporting base.
The electrostatic chuck attracts the wafer so that the flat plane of the wafer contacts the contacting surface of the electrostatic chuck when the electrostatic chuck is energized.
Means are provided for holding the wafer at a position which has a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the supporting base, and means selectively transport the carrier between a plurality of stations which includes a work station.
Fixing means fix the carrier transported to the work station at a predetermined position in the work station, and means are provided for normally deenergizing the electrostatic chuck and energizing the chuck when the carrier is fixed at the predetermined position in the work station.
Preferably, the wafer transporting apparatus further comprises means for deenergizing the electrostatic chuck when the carrier is spaced from the predetermined position in the work station