PURPOSE: To obtain a high cleaning effect, to cut down the time of dipping, and to reduce the flow rate of a cleaning fluid by a method wherein a large number of wafers are held in a line maintaining space in forward and backward directions in an almost exposed condition by the four-point contact using a part of guide arms and a pair of chuck arms.
CONSTITUTION: In order to grab up a wafer from an auxiliary means 13, a pair of chuck arms 12a and 12b are opened maximum by moving them in separating direction, the chuck arms and guide arms are lowered, and the pair of guide arms 11a and 11b are brought close to the upper surface of the left and right supporting walls A and B of the auxiliary means. Then, a pusher 14 is lifted up and erected in the auxiliary means 13, all the arranged wafers are pushed up, and when they are placed in the supporting grooves 11 and 11 opposing to the guide arms, the twin guide arms and the chuck arms begin to rise at the same speed as the rising speed of the pusher 14. Then, when the pusher pushed up almost whole of the wafers and its rising is stopped, the rising of the twin guide arms and the chuck arms is also stopped, the chucks 12a and 12b are shifted to approaching direction, And the right and left side edges of the wafer lower than the largest diameter part are inserted into and pinched by the supporting grooves 12 and 12. Then, the pusher is lowered and returned to its original condition, and the wafers are grabbed up above the auxiliary means by the guide arms and the chuck arms.
IMAIZUMI MASABUMI
INAGAKI KIYOHIKO
OTANI TAIICHI
MASHITA NORIYOSHI
KURITA WATER IND LTD