The invention provides a semiconductor processing apparatus having a high
throughput capable of appropriately coping with the positional
displacement that may occur during transfer of the wafer after correcting
the position thereof, without slowing down the transfer speed of the
wafer. A position correction quantity of the wafer with respect to a
vacuum robot is computed based on the outputs of a .theta. axis sensor
for detecting the interception angle of the wafer during rotation of the
vacuum robot and an R axis sensor for detecting the interception distance
of the wafer during expansion and contraction of the vacuum robot. If the
position correction quantity exceeds a predetermined standard value, an
operation to change the position data is performed, and if the distance
data obtained based on the outputs from the .theta. axis sensor and the R
axis sensor exceeds a predetermined permissible value, it is determined
that a displacement error has occurred and the operation is stopped.