US20040081546A1 - Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20040081546A1 US20040081546A1 US10/650,479 US65047903A US2004081546A1 US 20040081546 A1 US20040081546 A1 US 20040081546A1 US 65047903 A US65047903 A US 65047903A US 2004081546 A1 US2004081546 A1 US 2004081546A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- substrate carrier
- substrate
- carrier
- handler
- load
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
- H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
- H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
- H01L21/67775—Docking arrangements
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S414/00—Material or article handling
- Y10S414/135—Associated with semiconductor wafer handling
- Y10S414/14—Wafer cassette transporting
Definitions
- the present invention related generally to substrate processing, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for supplying substrates to a processing tool.
- Semiconductor devices are made on substrates, such as silicon substrates, glass plates or the like, often termed wafers, for use in computers, monitors, and the like. These devices are made by a sequence of fabrication steps, such as thin film deposition, oxidation, etching, polishing, and thermal and lithographic processing. Although multiple fabrication steps may be performed in a single processing apparatus, substrates typically must be transported between different processing tools for at least some of the fabrication steps.
- loading and storage apparatuses are conventionally located adjacent each processing tool.
- Such loading and storage apparatuses generally include one or more docking stations where substrate carriers are opened and individual substrates are extracted from the carriers and transported to a processing tool, as well as including a plurality of storage shelves positioned above the docking stations, a factory load location for receiving carriers at the loading and storage apparatus, and a robot adapted to transfer carriers among the factory load location, the docking stations and the plurality of storage shelves.
- the robot may include an end effector coupled to a support structure.
- the support structure comprises a vertical guide and a horizontal guide configured so that the end effector may move horizontally and vertically among the docking stations, the plurality of storage shelves and the factory load location.
- the loading and storage apparatuses may be modularly designed (e.g. having components that are mounted to a frame typically extending in front of a single processing tool) or may be nonmodular in design (e.g., having components that may be mounted independently and typically having horizontal and/or vertical guides that extend in front of a plurality of processing tools).
- a carrier After a carrier is received at the factory load location, it may be moved by the robot from the factory load location to one of the storage shelves. Thereafter, the carrier may be moved from the storage shelf to a docking station. After the substrates have been extracted from the carrier, processed, and returned to the carrier, the carrier may be moved by the robot from the docking station to one of the storage shelves. Thereafter, the carrier may be moved by the robot from the storage shelf to the factory load location. Shuffling of the substrate carriers among the storage shelves, the factory load location and the docking station may place a significant burden on the robot, and may extend the period of time during which the substrates in the carrier are present in the factory without being processed. It accordingly would be desirable to streamline the handling of substrate carriers.
- a first method for supplying substrates to a processing tool.
- the first method includes the steps of (1) providing a plurality of load ports each having a mechanism adapted to open a substrate carrier; (2) providing a factory exchange location at which substrate carriers are exchanged with a substrate carrier transport device while the substrate carriers are in motion and being transported by the substrate carrier transport device; (3) providing a carrier handler having an end effector adapted to contact a substrate carrier, the carrier handler being adapted to transport substrate carriers between the factory exchange location and the plurality of load ports; and (4) receiving a first plurality of substrate carriers at the factory exchange location from the substrate carrier transport device.
- the method further includes the steps of (1) transporting the substrate carrier from the factory exchange location directly to a respective one of the plurality of load ports; (2) docking and opening the substrate carrier at the respective load port; (3) undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the respective load port; (4) transporting the substrate carrier from the respective load port directly to the factory exchange location; and (5) returning the substrate carrier to the substrate carrier transport device.
- a second method for transferring a substrate carrier.
- the second method includes the steps of (1) conveying the substrate carrier on a substrate carrier conveyor positioned adjacent a substrate loading station that includes a substrate carrier handler adapted to transport the substrate carrier to a load port of a processing tool; (2) employing an end effector of the substrate carrier handler of the substrate loading station to disengage the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor while the substrate carrier is in motion and being transported by the substrate carrier conveyor; (3) transporting the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor directly to the load port; (4) docking and opening the substrate carrier at the load port; (5) undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the load port; and (6) returning the substrate carrier directly to the substrate carrier conveyor.
- a third method for transferring a substrate carrier to a substrate loading station.
- the third method includes conveying the substrate carrier on a substrate carrier conveyor positioned adjacent the substrate loading station.
- the substrate loading station comprises a substrate carrier handler adapted to transport the substrate carrier to a first load port of a processing tool, the substrate carrier handler including (1) a vertical guide; (2) a horizontal guide coupled to the vertical guide; and (3) an end effector adapted to support the substrate carrier and to move vertically relative to the vertical guide and horizontally relative to the horizontal guide.
- the third method further includes (1) employing the end effector of the substrate carrier handler of the substrate loading station to disengage the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor; (2) transporting the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor directly to the first load port; (3) docking and opening the substrate carrier at the first load port; (4) undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the first load port; and (5) returning the substrate carrier directly to the substrate carrier conveyor.
- the inventive methods may similarly provide for exchange, transport and placement of individual substrates (i.e., those not in or on a substrate carrier), with use of a substrate handler having an end effector adapted to contact and transport an individual substrate.
- a substrate/substrate carrier that is supplied to a processing tool is transferred directly from the factory exchange location to a load port.
- the substrate/substrate carrier is transferred “directly” from the factory exchange location to a load port in the sense that it is transferred without the handler placing the substrate/substrate carrier on any support location other than a load port.
- the inventive methods and apparatus provide for streamlined and highly efficient transfer of substrates and/or substrate carriers to and from processing tool load ports. Consequently, the total time required to transport and process substrates may be reduced, the costs and capital investment entailed in substrate work-in-process may be reduced, and burdens on substrate carrier handling robots may be diminished.
- FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional arrangement of a processing tool and associated substrate carrier loading and storage apparatus
- FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing the conventional loading and storage apparatus of FIG. 1;
- FIGS. 3A and 3B are front elevational views showing two exemplary embodiments of a substrate carrier loading apparatus provided in accordance with the invention.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating footprints of stacks of load ports shown in FIGS. 3A or 3 B;
- FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a substrate handler accessing load ports shown in FIGS. 3A or 3 B;
- FIG. 6 is a flow chart that illustrates a manner of operating the inventive substrate carrier loading apparatus of FIGS. 3A or 3 B and an associated processing tool.
- the term “docking” refers to the inward motion of a substrate or substrate carrier toward a port through which a substrate is exchanged, such as a port in a clean room wall.
- “undocking” refers to the outward motion of the substrate or substrate carrier away from a port through which substrates are exchanged, such as a port in a clean room wall.
- a “factory exchange location” includes all points in space at which a substrate or substrate carrier is handled by a device during removal of the substrate or substrate carrier from or placement of the substrate carrier on a substrate or substrate carrier transport device.
- a “substrate or substrate carrier transport device” includes a conveyor, an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) or any other device that transfers substrates or substrate carriers to or from processing tool loading locations.
- AGV automatic guided vehicle
- a “processing tool” comprises one or more processing chambers and one or more substrate handlers for loading and unloading the processing chamber.
- the substrate handlers may or may not be enclosed in chambers of their own such as factory interface chambers or transfer chambers.
- the processing chamber may perform a vacuum, atmospheric or other process on the substrate, including for example physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etching, metrology, cleaning, polishing, etc.
- a “load port” comprises a location where substrates or substrate carriers are placed for substrate transfer to and/or from a processing tool.
- FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a conventional modular loading and storing apparatus 111 in position for storing carriers adjacent a conventional processing tool 113 .
- FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing the modular loading and storing apparatus 111 .
- a front end robot chamber 115 (or factory interface) is shown positioned between the loading and storage apparatus 111 and the processing tool 113 .
- the loading and storage apparatus 111 is positioned adjacent a first side of a clean room wall 117 and the front end robot chamber 115 is positioned adjacent a second side of the clean room wall 117 .
- the front end robot chamber 115 contains a robot 119 that may move horizontally along a track (not shown) so as to extract substrates from the loading and storage apparatus 111 and transport them to a loadlock chamber 121 of the processing tool 113 .
- the loading and storage apparatus 111 comprises a pair of loading stations 123 where substrate carriers are placed for substrate extraction (in this example the loading stations are equipped with docking movement and are therefore referred to as docking stations), and a plurality of storage shelves 201 (best shown in FIG. 2) positioned above (e.g., at a higher elevation than) the docking stations 123 .
- the storage shelves 201 are mounted on a support frame 203 . Also mounted on the support frame 203 is a substrate carrier handling robot 205 .
- the robot 205 includes a vertical guide 207 on which an end effector 209 is mounted for vertical motion.
- the vertical guide 207 is mounted for horizontal motion along a horizontal guide 211 .
- a factory load location 213 for receiving substrate carriers is positioned between the docking stations 123 .
- the end effector 209 of the substrate carrier handling robot 205 is able to move substrate carriers among the factory load location 213 , the storage shelves 201 and the docking stations 123 .
- shuffling of substrate carriers from the factory load location 213 to the storage shelves 201 , then to the docking stations 123 , and back to the factory load location 213 (possibly via the storage shelves 201 ) may result in a significant amount of time being consumed in supplying substrates to the processing tool 113 , thereby increasing the quantity of work-in-process.
- FIG. 3A is a schematic front elevational view of an exemplary substrate loading station provided in accordance with the present invention.
- Reference numeral 301 generally indicates the inventive substrate loading station.
- the loading station 301 includes a plurality of load ports 303 .
- each load port 303 has a docking mechanism (not shown) such as a motorized gripper or platform adapted to support a substrate carrier and adapted to move the substrate carrier toward and away from the opening through which a substrate is to be transferred.
- the load ports 303 are arranged in two stacks 305 , 307 of three load ports each.
- a total of six load ports 303 are present in the embodiment of FIG. 3A.
- Other numbers and/or arrangements of load ports may be employed.
- Each load port 303 may include a mechanism, generally represented by reference number 309 , for opening substrate carriers docked at the load ports 303 .
- the load ports 303 are adapted to receive single substrate carriers.
- the term “single substrate carrier” refers to a substrate carrier shaped and sized to contain only one substrate at a time.
- the load ports 303 may accommodate any type of substrate carrier (e.g., a single substrate carrier, a multi-substrate carrier, a front opening substrate carrier, a front opening unified pod, a combination thereof, etc.).
- FIG. 3A shows substrate carriers 311 docked at two of the load ports 303 .
- each load port 303 is adapted to open a substrate carrier 311 simultaneously with substrate carrier docking (e.g., the movement of the carrier toward the port in the clean room wall). Such opening may be achieved for example via a cam and follower arrangement.
- a load port of this type is disclosed in previously incorporated, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/407,339, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “Method and Apparatus for Using Wafer Carrier Movement to Actuate Wafer Carrier Door Opening/Closing” (Attorney Docket No. 6976/L).
- conventional door opening devices e.g., that open a carrier after it has been docked
- Such devices conventionally employ a door receiver that unlocks the carrier door and removes it from the carrier to allow substrate extraction.
- a substrate carrier transport device such as a conveyor (schematically illustrated at 313 ) is configured to deliver substrate carriers to, and to remove substrate carriers from, the inventive substrate loading station 301 .
- a substrate carrier exchange device 315 which is adapted to receive substrate carriers from the conveyor 313 and to deliver substrate carriers to the conveyor 313 . Accordingly, it will be recognized that the substrate carrier exchange device 315 defines a factory exchange location 317 at which substrate carriers are exchanged with the conveyor 313 .
- the substrate carrier exchange device 315 may be, for example, of the type shown in previously incorporated U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/407,451, filed Aug.
- the substrate carrier exchange device 315 may be of the type disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/755,394 (Attorney Docket No. 5092) which discloses an elevating member that extends linearly upward so as to contact and couple/decouple a substrate carrier to or from the overhead factory transport system (and which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety).
- the substrate carrier exchange device 315 may be of the type disclosed in previously incorporated U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/407,474, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “Method and Apparatus for Unloading Wafer Carriers from Wafer Carrier Transport Systems” (Attorney Docket No.
- the substrate carrier exchange device may be omitted, and the carrier handler may exchange substrate carriers with the carrier transport device 313 at the factory exchange location (e.g., any location where carriers are exchanged between the inventive loading station and the carrier transport device).
- the carrier handler may exchange substrate carriers with the carrier transport device 313 at the factory exchange location (e.g., any location where carriers are exchanged between the inventive loading station and the carrier transport device).
- the substrate carrier exchange device 315 may be configured, for example, to remove substrate carriers from the conveyor 313 while the conveyor (or a carrier transported thereon) is in motion, and to deliver substrate carriers to the conveyor 313 while the conveyor (or a substrate carrier transporter traveling therealong) is in motion.
- the conveyor 313 may be practical to maintain the conveyor 313 in continuous motion while the semiconductor fabrication facility is in operation, thereby improving transportation of substrates through the fabrication facility, reducing the amount of time required for each particular substrate to traverse the fabrication facility, and thereby reducing the total number of substrates present as work-in-process, at any given time.
- the inventive loading station 301 further includes a carrier handler 319 .
- the carrier handler 319 includes an end effector 321 that is adapted to contact the substrate carriers 311 .
- the end effector 321 may be adapted to support the substrate carriers 311 from the bottom, or to grip the substrate carriers 311 from the top, etc.
- the end effector 321 is adapted to move vertically along a vertical guide 323 .
- the vertical guide 323 is adapted to move horizontally along a horizontal guide 325 . Consequently, the end effector 321 is movable among the factory exchange location 317 and all of the load ports 303 . It will also be appreciated that the end effector 321 is movable vertically in a space 327 that is between the stacks 305 , 307 of load ports 303 .
- the vertical and horizontal guides may be repositioned as shown in FIG. 3B, such that the end effector 321 may be adapted to move horizontally along the horizontal guide 325 and such that the horizontal guide 325 moves vertically along the vertical guide 323 .
- the inventive load station may include one or more storage shelves for storing substrates and/or substrate carriers.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic top plan view illustrating features of the layout of the inventive loading station 301 .
- reference numeral 117 indicates the clean room wall.
- Reference numeral 401 indicates the footprint of the stack 305 of load ports 303 .
- Reference numeral 403 indicates the footprint of the stack 307 of load ports 303 . It is to be understood that the “footprint” of an item is the projection of the item on the floor of the facility.
- Reference numeral 405 indicates an area between the footprints 401 and 403 .
- a tool “envelope” of the inventive loading station should be understood to mean the footprints 401 and 403 plus the area 405 between the footprints 401 and 403 .
- Reference numeral 407 indicates the tool envelope defined by the stacks 401 and 403 .
- the carrier handler 319 may operate such that it moves substrate carriers 311 only within the envelope defined by the footprints 401 , 403 of the load port stacks 305 , 307 .
- a controller C controls the operation of the carrier handler 319 and is programmed such that the carrier handler operates in accordance with the invention as described in detail with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 6.
- the factory exchange location 317 is at a height that is greater than respective heights of the load ports 303 . It will also be observed that the factory exchange location 317 and the stack 305 of load ports 303 have substantially the same footprint. However, other arrangements of the inventive loading station 301 are contemplated. For example, the factory exchange location 317 may be at or below the height of the load ports 303 . Also, the footprint of the factory exchange location 317 may coincide with the footprint 403 (FIG. 4) of the stack 307 of load ports 303 . As another alternative, the footprint of the factory exchange location 317 may not coincide with either one of the footprints 401 , 403 of the stacks 305 , 307 of load ports 303 .
- FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a substrate handler in relation to a conventional processing tool 113 and stacked load ports 303 of the inventive loading station 301 (FIGS. 3A OR 3 B).
- reference numeral 501 indicates a substrate handler provided in accordance with the invention.
- the inventive substrate handler 501 may be selectively positioned at a lower position (indicated by reference numeral 503 ), at which the inventive substrate handler 501 can be moved horizontally to access a lowest one of the stacked load ports 303 .
- the inventive substrate handler 501 can also be selectively positioned at an upper position (indicated in phantom and represented by reference numeral 505 ) at which the inventive substrate handler 501 can be moved horizontally to access the uppermost of the stacked load ports 303 . It will be appreciated that the inventive substrate handler 501 may also be selectively positioned at any intermediate position (not specifically indicated in the drawing) that is between the indicated positions 503 and 505 , for example, at a position at which the inventive substrate handler 501 can be moved horizontally to access a middle one of the stacked load ports 303 .
- a substrate handler is said to “access” a load port when the substrate handler extends into the load port area (e.g., to transport a substrate).
- the inventive substrate handler 501 may supply the substrate to the processing tool 113 , or, more specifically, to a load lock chamber 121 (FIG. 1, not separately shown in FIG. 5) of the processing tool 113 .
- FIG. 6 is a flow chart that illustrates operation of a substrate loading station configured in accordance with the present invention, such as the inventive substrate loading station 301 of FIGS. 3A or 3 B.
- a controller C may be coupled to the substrate loading station and operative to perform one or more steps of the process of FIG. 6.
- a substrate carrier 311 is received at the factory exchange location 317 .
- the carrier exchange device 315 removes a substrate carrier 311 from the conveyor 313 (e.g., via the end effector 321 ). This may occur, for example, while the conveyor 313 is in motion.
- step 603 Following step 601 in FIG. 6 is step 603 .
- the carrier handler 319 transports the substrate carrier 311 from the factory exchange location 317 to one of the load ports 303 .
- the substrate carrier 311 is transported directly from the factory exchange location 317 to one of the load ports 303 . That is, the carrier handler 319 does not place the substrate carrier 311 at any carrier support location other than one of the load ports 303 after removing the substrate carrier 311 from the factory exchange location 317 and before placing the substrate carrier 311 at one of the load ports 303 .
- step 605 the substrate carrier 311 is docked and opened at one of the load ports 303 at which it was placed by the carrier handler 319 .
- the load port 303 may be adapted such that docking and opening of the substrate carrier 311 occurs simultaneously.
- Step 607 follows step 605 in FIG. 6.
- the substrate handler 501 extracts a substrate from the substrate carrier 311 that has been docked at and opened by one of the load ports 303 .
- the extracted substrate is then supplied to the processing tool 113 by the substrate handler 501 , and processing of the substrate (step 609 ) occurs within the processing tool 113 .
- the substrate handler 501 After processing of the substrate in the processing tool 113 is complete, the substrate handler 501 returns the substrate to the substrate carrier 311 that was docked and opened at one of the load ports 303 (step 611 ). Then the substrate carrier 311 in which the processed substrate was inserted is closed and undocked from the load port 303 (step 613 ). The undocking and closing of the substrate carrier 303 may occur simultaneously. Following step 613 in FIG. 6 is step 615 . At step 615 the carrier handler 319 transports the substrate carrier 311 from the load port 303 to the factory exchange location 317 . According to an aspect of the invention, the substrate carrier 311 may be transported directly from the load port 303 to the factory exchange location 317 . That is, the substrate carrier 311 may be transported from the load port 303 to the factory exchange location 317 without being placed on any carrier support location after being removed from the load port 303 and before being delivered to the factory exchange location 317 .
- step 617 the carrier exchange device 315 returns the substrate carrier 311 to the conveyor 313 . In one embodiment of the invention, this may be done while the conveyor 313 is in motion. It should be noted that the steps of docking and/or opening the substrate carrier may be omitted in systems that transport individual substrates, or that do not require substrates to be docked. Accordingly steps 605 and 613 are optional. It will be understood that the inventive method may be performed with individual substrates rather than substrate carriers. Additional figures directed to the transportation of individual substrates rather than substrate carriers between the carrier transport device and the processing tool are not included so as to avoid repetition.
- the methods and apparatuses of the present invention are advantageous in that transportation of the substrate carriers to and from the load ports is streamlined, so that the total time of transit of substrates through the semiconductor fabrication facility may be reduced. This, in turn, may translate into reduced work-in-process, lower capital costs, and a reduced manufacturing cost per substrate.
- the carrier handler described above in connection with FIGS. 3A or 3 B includes a vertical guide that is movable horizontally along a single horizontal guide. It is, however, also contemplated to employ a carrier handler of the type in which a vertical guide is slidably mounted between two parallel horizontal guides. As still another alternative, there may be employed a carrier handler of the type in which a horizontal guide is slidably mounted on one or more vertical guides. Of course, other types of carrier handlers including those that do not use linear guides may be employed.
- load ports besides the two stacks of three load ports each shown in FIGS. 3A or 3 B.
- the same number of load ports be provided in each stack of load ports.
- only one stack of load ports may be provided, or three or more stacks of load ports may be provided.
- each stacked loadport is shown as occupying the same footprint, other arrangements with partially overlapping footprints or non-overlapping footprints may be employed.
- FIG. 5 shows a single substrate handler that is configured to service all of the load ports in a stack of load ports.
- a respective substrate handler may be provided to service each load port.
- a single substrate handler may be employed to service all of the load ports of more than one stack of load ports.
- a respective substrate handler be provided for each stack of load ports.
- Substrate carrier transport devices other than the conveyor 313 may be employed to bring substrate carriers to, and transport substrate carriers away from, the factory exchange location. If a conveyor is employed as the substrate carrier transport device, it may optionally be kept continuously in motion while the semiconductor fabrication facility is operating.
- factory exchange location may be employed for incoming substrate carriers, and a second factory exchange location may be employed for outbound substrate carriers. It is also contemplated that an inventive substrate loading station may be served by more than one substrate carrier transport device.
- the invention is employed in a substrate loading station that comprises a frame to which the vertical and horizontal guides are coupled.
- the preferred substrate loading station is modular and may be quickly installed and calibrated.
- each storage shelf also may be mounted on the frame.
- the substrate carrier handler and storage shelves have a predetermined position relative to each other. This further facilitates installation and calibration, and is another advantage of employing a modular substrate loading station.
- other mechanisms such as dedicated mechanisms for loading and/or unloading substrate carriers from an overhead factory transport system may be advantageously mounted to the frame.
- Exemplary dedicated mechanisms may comprise rotating platforms or rotating arms, etc., as described in previously incorporated U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 60/407,451, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and 60/407,474, filed Aug. 31, 2002 (Attorney Docket Nos. 6900 and 7024).
- the frame may be mounted to predetermined mounting locations (e.g., predrilled bolt holes, etc.) on the clean room wall, or on the front wall of a chamber (e.g., a factory interface chamber).
- the wall also has predetermined mounting locations to which the docking grippers or docking platforms are mounted.
- the wall may have predetermined mounting locations to which a substrate carrier opening mechanism may be mounted.
- the present invention has been illustrated in connection with single substrate carriers. However, it is also contemplated to apply the present invention in connection with substrate carriers that hold more than one substrate, or to apply the invention in connection with transport of individual substrates (not transported via carriers). As will be apparent, the inventive apparatus may differ considerably from the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Any apparatus that operates in accordance with the method of FIG. 6 (whether or not docking and opening are performed, and whether or not substrate carriers are employed (e.g., individual substrate systems)) may fall within the scope of the present invention.
Abstract
In one aspect, a substrate loading station for a processing tool includes plural load ports. Each load port is operatively coupled to the processing tool and has a mechanism for opening a substrate carrier. A carrier handler transports substrate carriers from a factory exchange location to the load ports without placing the carriers on any carrier support location other than the load ports. Numerous other aspects are provided.
Description
- This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/407,336, filed Aug. 31, 2002, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
- The present application is related to the following commonly-assigned, co-pending U.S. Patent Applications, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety:
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/407,451, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “System For Transporting Wafer Carriers” (Attorney Docket No. 6900/L);
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/407,339, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “Method and Apparatus for Using Wafer Carrier Movement to Actuate Wafer Carrier Door Opening/Closing” (Attorney Docket No. 6976/L);
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/407,474, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “Method and Apparatus for Unloading Wafer Carriers from Wafer Carrier Transport System” (Attorney Docket No. 7024/L);
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/407,452, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “End Effector Having Mechanism For Reorienting A Wafer Carrier Between Vertical And Horizontal Orientations” (Attorney Docket No. 7097/L);
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/407,337, filed Aug. 31, 2002, and titled “Wafer Loading Station with Docking Grippers at Docking Stations” (Attorney Docket No. 7099/L);
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/407,340, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “Wafer Carrier having Door Latching and Wafer Clamping Mechanism” (Attorney Docket No. 7156/L);
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/443,087, filed Jan. 27, 2003 and titled “Methods and Apparatus for Transporting Wafer Carriers” (Attorney Docket No. 7163/L);
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/407,463, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “Wafer Carrier Handler That Unloads Wafer Carriers Directly From a Moving Conveyor” (Attorney Docket No. 7676/L);
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/443,004, filed Jan. 27, 2003 and titled “Wafer Carrier Handler That Unloads Wafer Carriers Directly From a Moving Conveyor” (Attorney Docket No. 7676/L2);
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/443,153, filed Jan. 27, 2003 and titled “Overhead Transfer Flange and Support for Suspending Wafer Carrier” (Attorney Docket No. 8092/L);
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/443,001, filed Jan. 27, 2003 and titled “Systems and Methods for Transferring Wafer Carriers Between Processing Tools” (Attorney Docket No. 8201/L); and
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/443,115, filed Jan. 27, 2003 and titled “Apparatus and Method for Storing and Loading Wafer Carriers” (Attorney Docket No. 8202/L).
- The present invention related generally to substrate processing, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for supplying substrates to a processing tool.
- Semiconductor devices are made on substrates, such as silicon substrates, glass plates or the like, often termed wafers, for use in computers, monitors, and the like. These devices are made by a sequence of fabrication steps, such as thin film deposition, oxidation, etching, polishing, and thermal and lithographic processing. Although multiple fabrication steps may be performed in a single processing apparatus, substrates typically must be transported between different processing tools for at least some of the fabrication steps.
- Substrates are often stored in carriers for transfer between processing tools and other locations. In order to ensure that a processing tool does not idle, a nearly continuous supply of unprocessed substrates should be available to the tool. Thus, loading and storage apparatuses are conventionally located adjacent each processing tool. Such loading and storage apparatuses generally include one or more docking stations where substrate carriers are opened and individual substrates are extracted from the carriers and transported to a processing tool, as well as including a plurality of storage shelves positioned above the docking stations, a factory load location for receiving carriers at the loading and storage apparatus, and a robot adapted to transfer carriers among the factory load location, the docking stations and the plurality of storage shelves. The robot may include an end effector coupled to a support structure. Typically the support structure comprises a vertical guide and a horizontal guide configured so that the end effector may move horizontally and vertically among the docking stations, the plurality of storage shelves and the factory load location.
- The loading and storage apparatuses may be modularly designed (e.g. having components that are mounted to a frame typically extending in front of a single processing tool) or may be nonmodular in design (e.g., having components that may be mounted independently and typically having horizontal and/or vertical guides that extend in front of a plurality of processing tools).
- After a carrier is received at the factory load location, it may be moved by the robot from the factory load location to one of the storage shelves. Thereafter, the carrier may be moved from the storage shelf to a docking station. After the substrates have been extracted from the carrier, processed, and returned to the carrier, the carrier may be moved by the robot from the docking station to one of the storage shelves. Thereafter, the carrier may be moved by the robot from the storage shelf to the factory load location. Shuffling of the substrate carriers among the storage shelves, the factory load location and the docking station may place a significant burden on the robot, and may extend the period of time during which the substrates in the carrier are present in the factory without being processed. It accordingly would be desirable to streamline the handling of substrate carriers.
- In a first aspect of the invention, a first method is provided for supplying substrates to a processing tool. The first method includes the steps of (1) providing a plurality of load ports each having a mechanism adapted to open a substrate carrier; (2) providing a factory exchange location at which substrate carriers are exchanged with a substrate carrier transport device while the substrate carriers are in motion and being transported by the substrate carrier transport device; (3) providing a carrier handler having an end effector adapted to contact a substrate carrier, the carrier handler being adapted to transport substrate carriers between the factory exchange location and the plurality of load ports; and (4) receiving a first plurality of substrate carriers at the factory exchange location from the substrate carrier transport device. For each of the first plurality of substrate carriers, the method further includes the steps of (1) transporting the substrate carrier from the factory exchange location directly to a respective one of the plurality of load ports; (2) docking and opening the substrate carrier at the respective load port; (3) undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the respective load port; (4) transporting the substrate carrier from the respective load port directly to the factory exchange location; and (5) returning the substrate carrier to the substrate carrier transport device.
- In a second aspect of the invention, a second method is provided for transferring a substrate carrier. The second method includes the steps of (1) conveying the substrate carrier on a substrate carrier conveyor positioned adjacent a substrate loading station that includes a substrate carrier handler adapted to transport the substrate carrier to a load port of a processing tool; (2) employing an end effector of the substrate carrier handler of the substrate loading station to disengage the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor while the substrate carrier is in motion and being transported by the substrate carrier conveyor; (3) transporting the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor directly to the load port; (4) docking and opening the substrate carrier at the load port; (5) undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the load port; and (6) returning the substrate carrier directly to the substrate carrier conveyor.
- In a third aspect of the invention, a third method is provided for transferring a substrate carrier to a substrate loading station. The third method includes conveying the substrate carrier on a substrate carrier conveyor positioned adjacent the substrate loading station. The substrate loading station comprises a substrate carrier handler adapted to transport the substrate carrier to a first load port of a processing tool, the substrate carrier handler including (1) a vertical guide; (2) a horizontal guide coupled to the vertical guide; and (3) an end effector adapted to support the substrate carrier and to move vertically relative to the vertical guide and horizontally relative to the horizontal guide.
- The third method further includes (1) employing the end effector of the substrate carrier handler of the substrate loading station to disengage the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor; (2) transporting the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor directly to the first load port; (3) docking and opening the substrate carrier at the first load port; (4) undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the first load port; and (5) returning the substrate carrier directly to the substrate carrier conveyor. Numerous other aspects are provided, as are systems and apparatus in accordance with these and other aspects of the invention. The inventive methods may similarly provide for exchange, transport and placement of individual substrates (i.e., those not in or on a substrate carrier), with use of a substrate handler having an end effector adapted to contact and transport an individual substrate.
- In accordance with the inventive methods and apparatus, a substrate/substrate carrier that is supplied to a processing tool is transferred directly from the factory exchange location to a load port. The substrate/substrate carrier is transferred “directly” from the factory exchange location to a load port in the sense that it is transferred without the handler placing the substrate/substrate carrier on any support location other than a load port.
- The inventive methods and apparatus provide for streamlined and highly efficient transfer of substrates and/or substrate carriers to and from processing tool load ports. Consequently, the total time required to transport and process substrates may be reduced, the costs and capital investment entailed in substrate work-in-process may be reduced, and burdens on substrate carrier handling robots may be diminished.
- Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.
- FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional arrangement of a processing tool and associated substrate carrier loading and storage apparatus;
- FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing the conventional loading and storage apparatus of FIG. 1;
- FIGS. 3A and 3B are front elevational views showing two exemplary embodiments of a substrate carrier loading apparatus provided in accordance with the invention;
- FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating footprints of stacks of load ports shown in FIGS. 3A or3B;
- FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a substrate handler accessing load ports shown in FIGS. 3A or3B; and
- FIG. 6 is a flow chart that illustrates a manner of operating the inventive substrate carrier loading apparatus of FIGS. 3A or3B and an associated processing tool.
- As used herein, the term “docking” refers to the inward motion of a substrate or substrate carrier toward a port through which a substrate is exchanged, such as a port in a clean room wall. Similarly, “undocking” refers to the outward motion of the substrate or substrate carrier away from a port through which substrates are exchanged, such as a port in a clean room wall.
- A “factory exchange location” includes all points in space at which a substrate or substrate carrier is handled by a device during removal of the substrate or substrate carrier from or placement of the substrate carrier on a substrate or substrate carrier transport device.
- A “substrate or substrate carrier transport device” includes a conveyor, an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) or any other device that transfers substrates or substrate carriers to or from processing tool loading locations.
- A “processing tool” comprises one or more processing chambers and one or more substrate handlers for loading and unloading the processing chamber. The substrate handlers may or may not be enclosed in chambers of their own such as factory interface chambers or transfer chambers. The processing chamber may perform a vacuum, atmospheric or other process on the substrate, including for example physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etching, metrology, cleaning, polishing, etc.
- A “load port” comprises a location where substrates or substrate carriers are placed for substrate transfer to and/or from a processing tool.
- FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a conventional modular loading and storing
apparatus 111 in position for storing carriers adjacent aconventional processing tool 113. FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing the modular loading and storingapparatus 111. Referring initially to FIG. 1, a front end robot chamber 115 (or factory interface) is shown positioned between the loading andstorage apparatus 111 and theprocessing tool 113. As shown in FIG. 1 the loading andstorage apparatus 111 is positioned adjacent a first side of aclean room wall 117 and the frontend robot chamber 115 is positioned adjacent a second side of theclean room wall 117. The frontend robot chamber 115 contains arobot 119 that may move horizontally along a track (not shown) so as to extract substrates from the loading andstorage apparatus 111 and transport them to aloadlock chamber 121 of theprocessing tool 113. The loading andstorage apparatus 111 comprises a pair of loadingstations 123 where substrate carriers are placed for substrate extraction (in this example the loading stations are equipped with docking movement and are therefore referred to as docking stations), and a plurality of storage shelves 201 (best shown in FIG. 2) positioned above (e.g., at a higher elevation than) thedocking stations 123. Thestorage shelves 201 are mounted on asupport frame 203. Also mounted on thesupport frame 203 is a substratecarrier handling robot 205. Therobot 205 includes avertical guide 207 on which anend effector 209 is mounted for vertical motion. Thevertical guide 207 is mounted for horizontal motion along ahorizontal guide 211. Afactory load location 213 for receiving substrate carriers is positioned between thedocking stations 123. - By virtue of the
vertical guide 207 and thehorizontal guide 211, theend effector 209 of the substratecarrier handling robot 205 is able to move substrate carriers among thefactory load location 213, thestorage shelves 201 and thedocking stations 123. However, as noted before, shuffling of substrate carriers from thefactory load location 213 to thestorage shelves 201, then to thedocking stations 123, and back to the factory load location 213 (possibly via the storage shelves 201) may result in a significant amount of time being consumed in supplying substrates to theprocessing tool 113, thereby increasing the quantity of work-in-process. - FIG. 3A is a schematic front elevational view of an exemplary substrate loading station provided in accordance with the present invention.
Reference numeral 301 generally indicates the inventive substrate loading station. Theloading station 301 includes a plurality ofload ports 303. Preferably eachload port 303 has a docking mechanism (not shown) such as a motorized gripper or platform adapted to support a substrate carrier and adapted to move the substrate carrier toward and away from the opening through which a substrate is to be transferred. In the particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3A, theload ports 303 are arranged in twostacks load ports 303 are present in the embodiment of FIG. 3A. Other numbers and/or arrangements of load ports may be employed. Thestack 307 is positioned spaced apart from and to a side of thestack 305. Eachload port 303 may include a mechanism, generally represented byreference number 309, for opening substrate carriers docked at theload ports 303. In one embodiment of the invention, theload ports 303 are adapted to receive single substrate carriers. The term “single substrate carrier” refers to a substrate carrier shaped and sized to contain only one substrate at a time. In general, theload ports 303 may accommodate any type of substrate carrier (e.g., a single substrate carrier, a multi-substrate carrier, a front opening substrate carrier, a front opening unified pod, a combination thereof, etc.). FIG. 3A showssubstrate carriers 311 docked at two of theload ports 303. - In one embodiment, each
load port 303 is adapted to open asubstrate carrier 311 simultaneously with substrate carrier docking (e.g., the movement of the carrier toward the port in the clean room wall). Such opening may be achieved for example via a cam and follower arrangement. A load port of this type is disclosed in previously incorporated, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/407,339, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “Method and Apparatus for Using Wafer Carrier Movement to Actuate Wafer Carrier Door Opening/Closing” (Attorney Docket No. 6976/L). Alternatively, conventional door opening devices (e.g., that open a carrier after it has been docked) may be employed. Such devices conventionally employ a door receiver that unlocks the carrier door and removes it from the carrier to allow substrate extraction. - A substrate carrier transport device, such as a conveyor (schematically illustrated at313) is configured to deliver substrate carriers to, and to remove substrate carriers from, the inventive
substrate loading station 301. Associated with theinventive loading station 301 and positioned adjacent to theconveyor 313 is a substratecarrier exchange device 315 which is adapted to receive substrate carriers from theconveyor 313 and to deliver substrate carriers to theconveyor 313. Accordingly, it will be recognized that the substratecarrier exchange device 315 defines afactory exchange location 317 at which substrate carriers are exchanged with theconveyor 313. The substratecarrier exchange device 315 may be, for example, of the type shown in previously incorporated U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/407,451, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “System For Transporting Wafer Carriers” (Attorney Docket No. 6900/L) which discloses a rotating platform that rotates so as to contact and couple/decouple a substrate carrier to or from the overhead factory transport system. - As another alternative, the substrate
carrier exchange device 315 may be of the type disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/755,394 (Attorney Docket No. 5092) which discloses an elevating member that extends linearly upward so as to contact and couple/decouple a substrate carrier to or from the overhead factory transport system (and which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety). As still another alternative, the substratecarrier exchange device 315 may be of the type disclosed in previously incorporated U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/407,474, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and titled “Method and Apparatus for Unloading Wafer Carriers from Wafer Carrier Transport Systems” (Attorney Docket No. 7024/L which discloses a rotary arm that rotates so as to contact and couple/decouple a substrate carrier to or from the overhead factory transport system. In yet a further alternative, the substrate carrier exchange device may be omitted, and the carrier handler may exchange substrate carriers with thecarrier transport device 313 at the factory exchange location (e.g., any location where carriers are exchanged between the inventive loading station and the carrier transport device). Such a method is described in detail in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 60/407,463, filed Aug. 31, 2002 (Attorney Docket No. 7676/L) and 60/443,004, filed Jan. 27, 2003 (Attorney Docket No. 7676/L2). - The substrate
carrier exchange device 315 may be configured, for example, to remove substrate carriers from theconveyor 313 while the conveyor (or a carrier transported thereon) is in motion, and to deliver substrate carriers to theconveyor 313 while the conveyor (or a substrate carrier transporter traveling therealong) is in motion. Thus it may be practical to maintain theconveyor 313 in continuous motion while the semiconductor fabrication facility is in operation, thereby improving transportation of substrates through the fabrication facility, reducing the amount of time required for each particular substrate to traverse the fabrication facility, and thereby reducing the total number of substrates present as work-in-process, at any given time. - The
inventive loading station 301 further includes acarrier handler 319. Thecarrier handler 319 includes anend effector 321 that is adapted to contact thesubstrate carriers 311. For example, theend effector 321 may be adapted to support thesubstrate carriers 311 from the bottom, or to grip thesubstrate carriers 311 from the top, etc. - The
end effector 321 is adapted to move vertically along avertical guide 323. Thevertical guide 323, in turn, is adapted to move horizontally along ahorizontal guide 325. Consequently, theend effector 321 is movable among thefactory exchange location 317 and all of theload ports 303. It will also be appreciated that theend effector 321 is movable vertically in aspace 327 that is between thestacks load ports 303. In one alternative the vertical and horizontal guides may be repositioned as shown in FIG. 3B, such that theend effector 321 may be adapted to move horizontally along thehorizontal guide 325 and such that thehorizontal guide 325 moves vertically along thevertical guide 323. Though not shown in FIGS. 3A or 3B, the inventive load station may include one or more storage shelves for storing substrates and/or substrate carriers. - FIG. 4 is a schematic top plan view illustrating features of the layout of the
inventive loading station 301. In FIG. 4,reference numeral 117 indicates the clean room wall.Reference numeral 401 indicates the footprint of thestack 305 ofload ports 303.Reference numeral 403 indicates the footprint of thestack 307 ofload ports 303. It is to be understood that the “footprint” of an item is the projection of the item on the floor of the facility.Reference numeral 405 indicates an area between thefootprints footprints area 405 between thefootprints Reference numeral 407 indicates the tool envelope defined by thestacks - The
carrier handler 319 may operate such that it movessubstrate carriers 311 only within the envelope defined by thefootprints carrier handler 319 and is programmed such that the carrier handler operates in accordance with the invention as described in detail with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 6. - Referring again to FIGS. 3A or3B, it will be observed that the
factory exchange location 317 is at a height that is greater than respective heights of theload ports 303. It will also be observed that thefactory exchange location 317 and thestack 305 ofload ports 303 have substantially the same footprint. However, other arrangements of theinventive loading station 301 are contemplated. For example, thefactory exchange location 317 may be at or below the height of theload ports 303. Also, the footprint of thefactory exchange location 317 may coincide with the footprint 403 (FIG. 4) of thestack 307 ofload ports 303. As another alternative, the footprint of thefactory exchange location 317 may not coincide with either one of thefootprints stacks load ports 303. - FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a substrate handler in relation to a
conventional processing tool 113 and stackedload ports 303 of the inventive loading station 301 (FIGS. 3A OR 3B). Referring to FIG. 5,reference numeral 501 indicates a substrate handler provided in accordance with the invention. Theinventive substrate handler 501 may be selectively positioned at a lower position (indicated by reference numeral 503), at which theinventive substrate handler 501 can be moved horizontally to access a lowest one of the stackedload ports 303. Theinventive substrate handler 501 can also be selectively positioned at an upper position (indicated in phantom and represented by reference numeral 505) at which theinventive substrate handler 501 can be moved horizontally to access the uppermost of the stackedload ports 303. It will be appreciated that theinventive substrate handler 501 may also be selectively positioned at any intermediate position (not specifically indicated in the drawing) that is between the indicatedpositions inventive substrate handler 501 can be moved horizontally to access a middle one of the stackedload ports 303. - As used herein, a substrate handler is said to “access” a load port when the substrate handler extends into the load port area (e.g., to transport a substrate).
- It will be appreciated that, after the
inventive substrate handler 501 removes a substrate (not shown) from a substrate carrier 311 (FIGS. 3A OR 3B, not shown in FIG. 5) docked to one of the stackedload ports 303, theinventive substrate handler 501 may supply the substrate to theprocessing tool 113, or, more specifically, to a load lock chamber 121 (FIG. 1, not separately shown in FIG. 5) of theprocessing tool 113. - FIG. 6 is a flow chart that illustrates operation of a substrate loading station configured in accordance with the present invention, such as the inventive
substrate loading station 301 of FIGS. 3A or 3B. A controller C may be coupled to the substrate loading station and operative to perform one or more steps of the process of FIG. 6. - According to a
first step 601 in FIG. 6, asubstrate carrier 311 is received at thefactory exchange location 317. In the exemplarysubstrate loading station 301 of FIGS. 3A or 3B, for example, thecarrier exchange device 315 removes asubstrate carrier 311 from the conveyor 313 (e.g., via the end effector 321). This may occur, for example, while theconveyor 313 is in motion. - Following
step 601 in FIG. 6 isstep 603. Atstep 603 thecarrier handler 319 transports thesubstrate carrier 311 from thefactory exchange location 317 to one of theload ports 303. In accordance with the invention thesubstrate carrier 311 is transported directly from thefactory exchange location 317 to one of theload ports 303. That is, thecarrier handler 319 does not place thesubstrate carrier 311 at any carrier support location other than one of theload ports 303 after removing thesubstrate carrier 311 from thefactory exchange location 317 and before placing thesubstrate carrier 311 at one of theload ports 303. - Following
step 603 in FIG. 6 isstep 605. Atstep 605, thesubstrate carrier 311 is docked and opened at one of theload ports 303 at which it was placed by thecarrier handler 319. As noted above, theload port 303 may be adapted such that docking and opening of thesubstrate carrier 311 occurs simultaneously. -
Step 607 followsstep 605 in FIG. 6. Atstep 607, thesubstrate handler 501 extracts a substrate from thesubstrate carrier 311 that has been docked at and opened by one of theload ports 303. The extracted substrate is then supplied to theprocessing tool 113 by thesubstrate handler 501, and processing of the substrate (step 609) occurs within theprocessing tool 113. - After processing of the substrate in the
processing tool 113 is complete, thesubstrate handler 501 returns the substrate to thesubstrate carrier 311 that was docked and opened at one of the load ports 303 (step 611). Then thesubstrate carrier 311 in which the processed substrate was inserted is closed and undocked from the load port 303 (step 613). The undocking and closing of thesubstrate carrier 303 may occur simultaneously. Followingstep 613 in FIG. 6 isstep 615. Atstep 615 thecarrier handler 319 transports thesubstrate carrier 311 from theload port 303 to thefactory exchange location 317. According to an aspect of the invention, thesubstrate carrier 311 may be transported directly from theload port 303 to thefactory exchange location 317. That is, thesubstrate carrier 311 may be transported from theload port 303 to thefactory exchange location 317 without being placed on any carrier support location after being removed from theload port 303 and before being delivered to thefactory exchange location 317. - Following
step 615 in FIG. 6 isstep 617. Atstep 617, thecarrier exchange device 315 returns thesubstrate carrier 311 to theconveyor 313. In one embodiment of the invention, this may be done while theconveyor 313 is in motion. It should be noted that the steps of docking and/or opening the substrate carrier may be omitted in systems that transport individual substrates, or that do not require substrates to be docked. Accordingly steps 605 and 613 are optional. It will be understood that the inventive method may be performed with individual substrates rather than substrate carriers. Additional figures directed to the transportation of individual substrates rather than substrate carriers between the carrier transport device and the processing tool are not included so as to avoid repetition. - The methods and apparatuses of the present invention are advantageous in that transportation of the substrate carriers to and from the load ports is streamlined, so that the total time of transit of substrates through the semiconductor fabrication facility may be reduced. This, in turn, may translate into reduced work-in-process, lower capital costs, and a reduced manufacturing cost per substrate.
- The foregoing description discloses only exemplary embodiments of the invention; modifications of the above disclosed methods and apparatuses which fall within the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the carrier handler described above in connection with FIGS. 3A or3B includes a vertical guide that is movable horizontally along a single horizontal guide. It is, however, also contemplated to employ a carrier handler of the type in which a vertical guide is slidably mounted between two parallel horizontal guides. As still another alternative, there may be employed a carrier handler of the type in which a horizontal guide is slidably mounted on one or more vertical guides. Of course, other types of carrier handlers including those that do not use linear guides may be employed.
- It is also contemplated to employ other configurations of load ports besides the two stacks of three load ports each shown in FIGS. 3A or3B. For example, there may be only two load ports in each stack of load ports, or, there may be four or more load ports in each stack of load ports. It is also not required that the same number of load ports be provided in each stack of load ports. As still another alternative, only one stack of load ports may be provided, or three or more stacks of load ports may be provided. Note also, that although each stacked loadport is shown as occupying the same footprint, other arrangements with partially overlapping footprints or non-overlapping footprints may be employed. There may be embodiments where a single load port is employed, or where two or more horizontally adjacent load ports are employed.
- It is noted that FIG. 5 shows a single substrate handler that is configured to service all of the load ports in a stack of load ports. As possible alternatives, a respective substrate handler may be provided to service each load port. It is also contemplated that a single substrate handler may be employed to service all of the load ports of more than one stack of load ports. It is further contemplated that a respective substrate handler be provided for each stack of load ports.
- Substrate carrier transport devices other than the
conveyor 313 may be employed to bring substrate carriers to, and transport substrate carriers away from, the factory exchange location. If a conveyor is employed as the substrate carrier transport device, it may optionally be kept continuously in motion while the semiconductor fabrication facility is operating. - Although only one factory exchange location is shown in association with the inventive substrate loading station, it is contemplated to provide two or more factory exchange locations in association with the inventive substrate loading station. For example, a first factory exchange location may be employed for incoming substrate carriers, and a second factory exchange location may be employed for outbound substrate carriers. It is also contemplated that an inventive substrate loading station may be served by more than one substrate carrier transport device.
- Preferably, the invention is employed in a substrate loading station that comprises a frame to which the vertical and horizontal guides are coupled. In this manner, the preferred substrate loading station is modular and may be quickly installed and calibrated. In the event the substrate loading station includes one or more storage shelves, each storage shelf also may be mounted on the frame. By mounting both the substrate carrier handler and the storage shelf or shelves to the frame, the substrate carrier handler and storage shelves have a predetermined position relative to each other. This further facilitates installation and calibration, and is another advantage of employing a modular substrate loading station. Similarly, other mechanisms such as dedicated mechanisms for loading and/or unloading substrate carriers from an overhead factory transport system may be advantageously mounted to the frame. Exemplary dedicated mechanisms may comprise rotating platforms or rotating arms, etc., as described in previously incorporated U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 60/407,451, filed Aug. 31, 2002 and 60/407,474, filed Aug. 31, 2002 (Attorney Docket Nos. 6900 and 7024).
- In one aspect, the frame may be mounted to predetermined mounting locations (e.g., predrilled bolt holes, etc.) on the clean room wall, or on the front wall of a chamber (e.g., a factory interface chamber). Preferably, the wall also has predetermined mounting locations to which the docking grippers or docking platforms are mounted. Additionally, the wall may have predetermined mounting locations to which a substrate carrier opening mechanism may be mounted. When the frame, the docking mechanisms, and the substrate carrier opening mechanism are each mounted to predetermined locations on the same surface, the relative positions of each are predetermined, and installation and calibration of the substrate loading station is facilitated.
- The present invention has been illustrated in connection with single substrate carriers. However, it is also contemplated to apply the present invention in connection with substrate carriers that hold more than one substrate, or to apply the invention in connection with transport of individual substrates (not transported via carriers). As will be apparent, the inventive apparatus may differ considerably from the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Any apparatus that operates in accordance with the method of FIG. 6 (whether or not docking and opening are performed, and whether or not substrate carriers are employed (e.g., individual substrate systems)) may fall within the scope of the present invention.
- Accordingly, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
Claims (20)
1. A method of supplying substrates to a processing tool, comprising:
providing a plurality of load ports each having a mechanism adapted to open a substrate carrier;
providing a factory exchange location at which substrate carriers are exchanged with a substrate carrier transport device while the substrate carriers are in motion and being transported by the substrate carrier transport device;
providing a carrier handler having an end effector adapted to contact a substrate carrier, the carrier handler being adapted to transport substrate carriers between the factory exchange location and the plurality of load ports;
receiving a first plurality of substrate carriers at the factory exchange location from the substrate carrier transport device; and
for each of the first plurality of substrate carriers:
transporting the substrate carrier from the factory exchange location directly to a respective one of the plurality of load ports;
docking and opening the substrate carrier at the respective load port;
undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the respective load port;
transporting the substrate carrier from the respective load port directly to the factory exchange location; and
returning the substrate carrier to the substrate carrier transport device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate carriers are single substrate carriers.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of load ports comprises providing two stacks of load ports.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the carrier handler moves the substrate carriers only within an envelope defined by footprints of the two stacks of load ports.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the docking of each substrate carrier occurs simultaneously with opening of the respective substrate carrier.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the factory exchange location and the load ports have substantially the same footprint.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the factory exchange location is at a height greater than respective heights of all of the load ports.
8. A substrate loading station for a processing tool, comprising:
a first plurality of load ports operatively coupled to the processing tool and each having a mechanism adapted to open a substrate carrier;
a factory exchange location at which substrate carriers are exchanged with a substrate carrier transport device while the substrate carriers are in motion and being transported by the substrate carrier transport device; and
a carrier handler having an end effector adapted to contact a substrate carrier, the carrier handler being adapted to transport substrate carriers between the factory exchange location and the first plurality of load ports;
wherein the carrier handler has a controller programmed to perform the steps of:
for each of the first plurality of substrate carriers:
transporting the substrate carrier from the factory exchange location directly to a respective one of the plurality of load ports;
docking and opening the substrate carrier at the respective load port;
undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the respective load port;
transporting the substrate carrier from the respective load port directly to the factory exchange location; and
returning the substrate carrier to the substrate carrier transport device.
9. The substrate loading station of claim 8 , wherein the substrate carriers transported by the carrier handler are single substrate carriers.
10. The substrate loading station of claim 8 , further comprising:
a second plurality of load ports, the second plurality of load ports being spaced apart from and to a side of the first plurality of load ports.
11. The substrate loading station of claim 10 , wherein the carrier handler is adapted to move vertically in a space between the first and second pluralities of load ports.
12. The substrate loading station of claim 11 , wherein the carrier handler is adapted to move the substrate carriers only within an envelope defined by footprints of the first and second pluralities of load ports.
13. The substrate loading station of claim 8 , wherein each of the load ports is adapted to open a substrate carrier simultaneously with the substrate carrier docking with the load port.
14. The substrate loading station of claim 8 , wherein the factory exchange location and the load ports have substantially the same footprint.
15. The substrate loading station of claim 8 , wherein the substrate carrier transport device is a conveyor.
16. The substrate loading station of claim 8 , wherein the factory exchange location is at a height greater than respective heights of all of the load ports.
17. An apparatus adapted to supply substrates to a processing tool, comprising:
a substrate carrier handler adapted to transport a substrate carrier to a first load port of the processing tool, the substrate carrier handler including an end effector adapted to support the substrate carrier; and
a controller coupled to the substrate carrier handler and operative to control the substrate carrier handler such that the end effector of the substrate carrier handler disengages the substrate carrier from a substrate carrier conveyor while the substrate carrier is in motion and being transported by the substrate carrier conveyor, the controller further operative to perform the steps of:
transporting the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor directly to the first load port;
docking and opening the substrate carrier at the first load port;
undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the first load port; and
returning the substrate carrier directly to the substrate carrier conveyor.
18. An apparatus adapted to supply substrates to a processing tool, comprising:
a substrate carrier handler adapted to transport a substrate carrier to a first load port of the processing tool, the substrate carrier handler including:
a vertical guide;
a horizontal guide coupled to the vetical guide; and
an end effector adapted to support the substrate carrier and to move vertically relative to the vertical guide and horizontally relative to the horizontal guide; and
a controller coupled to the substrate carrier handler and operative to control the substrate carrier handler such that the end effector of the substrate carrier handler disengages the substrate carrier from a substrate carrier conveyor positioned adjacent the substrate carrier handler, the controller further operative to perform the steps of:
transporting the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor directly to the first load port;
docking and opening the substrate carrier at the first load port;
undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the first load port; and
returning the substrate carrier directly to the substrate carrier conveyor.
19. A method of transferring a substrate carrier, comprising:
conveying the substrate carrier on a substrate carrier conveyor positioned adjacent a substrate loading station that includes a substrate carrier handler adapted to transport the substrate carrier to a load port of a processing tool;
employing an end effector of the substrate carrier handler of the substrate loading station to disengage the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor while the substrate carrier is in motion and being transported by the substrate carrier conveyor;
transporting the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor directly to the load port;
docking and opening the substrate carrier at the load port;
undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the load port; and
returning the substrate carrier directly to the substrate carrier conveyor.
20. A method of transferring a substrate carrier to a substrate loading station, comprising:
conveying the substrate carrier on a substrate carrier conveyor positioned adjacent the substrate loading station, the substrate loading station having:
a substrate carrier handler adapted to transport the substrate carrier to a first load port of a processing tool, the substrate carrier handler including:
a vertical guide;
a horizontal guide coupled to the vertical guide; and
an end effector adapted to support the substrate carrier and to move vertically relative to the vertical guide and horizontally relative to the horizontal guide;
employing the end effector of the substrate carrier handler of the substrate loading station to disengage the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor;
transporting the substrate carrier from the substrate carrier conveyor directly to the first load port;
docking and opening the substrate carrier at the first load port;
undocking and closing the substrate carrier at the first load port; and
returning the substrate carrier directly to the substrate carrier conveyor.
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10/650,479 US20040081546A1 (en) | 2002-08-31 | 2003-08-28 | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
US12/100,388 US7857570B2 (en) | 2003-08-28 | 2008-04-09 | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
Applications Claiming Priority (14)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US40745202P | 2002-08-31 | 2002-08-31 | |
US40733702P | 2002-08-31 | 2002-08-31 | |
US40733602P | 2002-08-31 | 2002-08-31 | |
US40734002P | 2002-08-31 | 2002-08-31 | |
US40746302P | 2002-08-31 | 2002-08-31 | |
US40747402P | 2002-08-31 | 2002-08-31 | |
US40733902P | 2002-08-31 | 2002-08-31 | |
US40745102P | 2002-08-31 | 2002-08-31 | |
US44311503P | 2003-01-27 | 2003-01-27 | |
US44300403P | 2003-01-27 | 2003-01-27 | |
US44300103P | 2003-01-27 | 2003-01-27 | |
US44315303P | 2003-01-27 | 2003-01-27 | |
US44308703P | 2003-01-27 | 2003-01-27 | |
US10/650,479 US20040081546A1 (en) | 2002-08-31 | 2003-08-28 | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/100,388 Continuation US7857570B2 (en) | 2003-08-28 | 2008-04-09 | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20040081546A1 true US20040081546A1 (en) | 2004-04-29 |
Family
ID=39676318
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/650,479 Abandoned US20040081546A1 (en) | 2002-08-31 | 2003-08-28 | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
US12/100,388 Expired - Fee Related US7857570B2 (en) | 2003-08-28 | 2008-04-09 | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/100,388 Expired - Fee Related US7857570B2 (en) | 2003-08-28 | 2008-04-09 | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (2) | US20040081546A1 (en) |
Cited By (36)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20040081538A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2004-04-29 | Rice Michael Robert | Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
US20050040662A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2005-02-24 | Rice Michael R. | Overhead transfer flange and support for suspending a substrate carrier |
US20050135903A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2005-06-23 | Rice Michael R. | Wafer loading station that automatically retracts from a moving conveyor in response to an unscheduled event |
US20050232734A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2005-10-20 | Elliott Martin R | Small lot size substrate carriers |
US20050273191A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2005-12-08 | Englhardt Eric A | Small lot size lithography bays |
US20060188358A1 (en) * | 2005-02-24 | 2006-08-24 | Bonora Anthony C | Direct tool loading |
US20070059861A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2007-03-15 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Systems and methods for transferring small lot size substrate carriers between processing tools |
US20070059130A1 (en) * | 2005-08-18 | 2007-03-15 | Flitsch Frederick A | Method and apparatus to support a cleanspace fabricator |
US20070128007A1 (en) * | 2005-05-16 | 2007-06-07 | Bonora Anthony C | Modular terminal for high-throughput AMHS |
US20070258796A1 (en) * | 2006-04-26 | 2007-11-08 | Englhardt Eric A | Methods and apparatus for transporting substrate carriers |
US20080050217A1 (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2008-02-28 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Kinematic pin with shear member and substrate carrier for use therewith |
US20080071417A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2008-03-20 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for loading and unloading substrate carriers on moving conveyors using feedback |
US20080187414A1 (en) * | 2003-08-28 | 2008-08-07 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
US20080213068A1 (en) * | 2001-06-30 | 2008-09-04 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Datum plate for use in installations of substrate handling systems |
US20080281457A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2008-11-13 | Bachrach Robert Z | Method of achieving high productivity fault tolerant photovoltaic factory with batch array transfer robots |
US20080279672A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2008-11-13 | Bachrach Robert Z | Batch equipment robots and methods of stack to array work-piece transfer for photovoltaic factory |
US20080279658A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2008-11-13 | Bachrach Robert Z | Batch equipment robots and methods within equipment work-piece transfer for photovoltaic factory |
US20080286076A1 (en) * | 2004-07-14 | 2008-11-20 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for repositioning support for a substrate carrier |
US20080293329A1 (en) * | 2007-05-21 | 2008-11-27 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for identifying a substrate edge profile and adjusting the processing of the substrate according to the identified edge profile |
US20080289932A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2008-11-27 | Applied Materials, Inc. | System for transporting substrate carriers |
US20080292433A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2008-11-27 | Bachrach Robert Z | Batch equipment robots and methods of array to array work-piece transfer for photovoltaic factory |
US20090030547A1 (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2009-01-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Calibration of high speed loader to substrate transport system |
US20090188103A1 (en) * | 2008-01-25 | 2009-07-30 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for moving a substrate carrier |
US20090205930A1 (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2009-08-20 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Break-away positioning conveyor mount for accommodating conveyor belt bends |
US20090252583A1 (en) * | 2001-01-05 | 2009-10-08 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Actuatable loadport system |
US20090308030A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2009-12-17 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Load port configurations for small lot size substrate carriers |
US7637707B2 (en) | 1998-12-01 | 2009-12-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Apparatus for storing and moving a cassette |
US20100179683A1 (en) * | 2009-01-11 | 2010-07-15 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods, systems and apparatus for rapid exchange of work material |
US20100209226A1 (en) * | 2005-06-18 | 2010-08-19 | Flitsch Frederick A | Method and apparatus to support process tool modules in a cleanspace fabricator |
CN102893385A (en) * | 2010-05-13 | 2013-01-23 | 村田机械株式会社 | Transfer device |
US9435025B2 (en) | 2013-09-25 | 2016-09-06 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Gas apparatus, systems, and methods for chamber ports |
US10192765B2 (en) | 2013-08-12 | 2019-01-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate processing systems, apparatus, and methods with factory interface environmental controls |
US10359743B2 (en) | 2014-11-25 | 2019-07-23 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate processing systems, apparatus, and methods with substrate carrier and purge chamber environmental controls |
US10627809B2 (en) | 2005-06-18 | 2020-04-21 | Frederick A. Flitsch | Multilevel fabricators |
US10651063B2 (en) | 2005-06-18 | 2020-05-12 | Frederick A. Flitsch | Methods of prototyping and manufacturing with cleanspace fabricators |
US11024527B2 (en) | 2005-06-18 | 2021-06-01 | Frederick A. Flitsch | Methods and apparatus for novel fabricators with Cleanspace |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7934898B2 (en) * | 2007-07-16 | 2011-05-03 | Semitool, Inc. | High throughput semiconductor wafer processing |
US20090022574A1 (en) * | 2007-07-16 | 2009-01-22 | Eudy Steve L | Workpiece loading system |
JP5318005B2 (en) * | 2010-03-10 | 2013-10-16 | 株式会社Sokudo | Substrate processing apparatus, stocker apparatus, and substrate container transport method |
Citations (97)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3710923A (en) * | 1969-10-18 | 1973-01-16 | Fromme Foerderanlagen Gmbh | Article sorting installation with an endless conveyor discharge mechanism |
US3710921A (en) * | 1970-06-10 | 1973-01-16 | Leidsche Apparatenfab Nv | Selection apparatus |
US3722656A (en) * | 1971-06-23 | 1973-03-27 | Rexham Corp | System for handling and accumulating articles |
US3734263A (en) * | 1971-07-02 | 1973-05-22 | A Dirks | Revolvable station for processing a movable procession of factory-work pieces such as animal carcasses |
US3901376A (en) * | 1973-04-10 | 1975-08-26 | Remy & Cie E P | Continuously operating device for conveying and selecting cases |
US3990569A (en) * | 1972-12-18 | 1976-11-09 | Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. | Apparatus for arranging, at a predetermined spacing on a reception conveyor, objects originating in a disordered manner from a delivery conveyor |
US4006813A (en) * | 1973-07-09 | 1977-02-08 | Sig Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft | Article separating and conveying system |
US4029194A (en) * | 1974-05-13 | 1977-06-14 | Pemco, Inc. | Automatic indexing and transferring apparatus |
US4033403A (en) * | 1975-09-17 | 1977-07-05 | Seaton Engineering Company | Synchronizing velocity and position control |
US4040302A (en) * | 1975-01-03 | 1977-08-09 | Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Chain drive for a transfer machine |
US4044886A (en) * | 1975-12-29 | 1977-08-30 | Sender Wilfred E | System for handling structural members |
US4166527A (en) * | 1977-08-01 | 1979-09-04 | Stelron Cam Company | Device for picking up and placing articles on movable conveyors and assembly lines and to an endless construction and to an article pickup and deposit device therefor |
US4222479A (en) * | 1978-11-13 | 1980-09-16 | Coors Container Company | Container conveying and transfer system |
US4261236A (en) * | 1978-02-20 | 1981-04-14 | Arenco-Decoufle, Societe Anonyme Francaise | Device for converting the axial movement of cylindrical rod-shaped objects into a lateral translation |
US4266652A (en) * | 1978-11-10 | 1981-05-12 | Maschinenfabrik Alfred Schmermund Gmbh & Co. | Apparatus for conveying articles |
US4294344A (en) * | 1978-09-21 | 1981-10-13 | Tevopharm-Schiedam B.V. | Apparatus for positioning articles between the carriers of a drag conveyor, said articles being fed in a continuous closed row |
US4340137A (en) * | 1978-03-27 | 1982-07-20 | Opcon, Inc. | Cant movement and aligning mechanism |
US4401522A (en) * | 1980-09-29 | 1983-08-30 | Micro-Plate, Inc. | Plating method and apparatus |
US4450950A (en) * | 1981-05-12 | 1984-05-29 | Eastman Kodak Company | Work piece transfer mechanism |
US4506779A (en) * | 1980-12-12 | 1985-03-26 | G.D. Societa Per Azioni | Device for transferring bar shaped articles |
US4524858A (en) * | 1983-05-24 | 1985-06-25 | Maxey Carl W | Edger transport and position apparatus |
US4534843A (en) * | 1983-01-28 | 1985-08-13 | Technic, Inc. | Apparatus for electroplating and chemically treating contact elements of encapsulated electronic components and their like |
US4538720A (en) * | 1983-03-25 | 1985-09-03 | Pet, Incorporated | Apparatus for transferring articles between conveyors |
US4540088A (en) * | 1983-06-20 | 1985-09-10 | Wheelabrator-Frye Inc. | Component conveyor apparatus |
US4549647A (en) * | 1982-04-02 | 1985-10-29 | Biscuiterie Nantaise-Bn | Apparatus for the transfer of articles between two machines |
US4552261A (en) * | 1983-12-27 | 1985-11-12 | Standard-Knapp, Inc. | Article grouper for case packer |
US4585126A (en) * | 1983-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | Sunkist Growers, Inc. | Method and apparatus for high speed processing of fruit or the like |
US4584944A (en) * | 1984-04-25 | 1986-04-29 | Jervis B. Webb Company | Conveyor system with automatic load transfer |
US4603770A (en) * | 1984-01-18 | 1986-08-05 | Hartness Thomas Signor | Rake conveyor apparatus |
US4650264A (en) * | 1983-12-12 | 1987-03-17 | Spacesaver Corporation | Control system for vertical storage equipment |
US4653630A (en) * | 1981-11-16 | 1987-03-31 | Anna Bravin | Method of and device for controlling the transfer of articles from a first conveyor belt to predetermined locations on a second conveyor belt |
US4667809A (en) * | 1983-10-19 | 1987-05-26 | Trimmer Machine Co., Inc. | Apparatus for aligning signatures |
US4679685A (en) * | 1983-10-20 | 1987-07-14 | Ab Tetra Pak | Accumulating commodity conveyor |
US4680919A (en) * | 1983-07-28 | 1987-07-21 | Shigemitsu Hirama | Article delivery transferring device in a collective packing machine |
US4693359A (en) * | 1984-12-06 | 1987-09-15 | G.D. Societa Per Azioni | Device for transferring bar-shaped articles |
US4702365A (en) * | 1984-09-10 | 1987-10-27 | Pak Chong Il | Apparatus for removing individual wafer segments from a framed carrier |
US4708727A (en) * | 1986-11-14 | 1987-11-24 | Vitro Tec Fideicomiso | Method and apparatus for synchronizing the velocity of a 90 degree push-out apparatus and of the carrier converyor in an I.S. glassware forming machine |
US4759439A (en) * | 1987-01-29 | 1988-07-26 | Dominion Chain Inc. | Drive mechanism |
US4765453A (en) * | 1987-04-27 | 1988-08-23 | Westinghouse Electric Corp. | Pellet-press-to-sintering-boat nuclear fuel pellet loading system |
US4775046A (en) * | 1986-01-17 | 1988-10-04 | Future Automation, Inc. | Transport belt for production parts |
US4813528A (en) * | 1987-02-06 | 1989-03-21 | Dominion Chain Inc. | Conveyor loading system |
US4830180A (en) * | 1988-01-15 | 1989-05-16 | Key Technology, Inc. | Article inspection and stabilizing system |
US4850102A (en) * | 1986-02-27 | 1989-07-25 | Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | System for installing parts on workpiece |
US4854440A (en) * | 1987-07-25 | 1989-08-08 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Apparatus for transferring articles to a packaging machine conveyor apparatus |
US4869637A (en) * | 1986-08-27 | 1989-09-26 | Bud Antle, Inc. | Plant transfer mechanism |
US4898373A (en) * | 1986-07-03 | 1990-02-06 | Newsome John R | High speed signature manipulating apparatus |
US4964776A (en) * | 1987-12-01 | 1990-10-23 | Tsubakimoto Chain Co. | Article transfer and storage system |
US5064337A (en) * | 1988-07-19 | 1991-11-12 | Tokyo Electron Limited | Handling apparatus for transferring carriers and a method of transferring carriers |
US5086909A (en) * | 1988-09-23 | 1992-02-11 | Powell Machinery, Inc. | Gentle handling of fruit during weight sizing and other operations |
US5099896A (en) * | 1991-04-24 | 1992-03-31 | Harvey Industries, Inc | Rotary board pick/store/place method and apparatus |
US5110249A (en) * | 1986-10-23 | 1992-05-05 | Innotec Group, Inc. | Transport system for inline vacuum processing |
US5113992A (en) * | 1989-09-21 | 1992-05-19 | Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha | Vertical wafer carrying apparatus |
US5123518A (en) * | 1991-12-12 | 1992-06-23 | Pfaff Ernest H | Apparatus for properly positioning vials |
US5135102A (en) * | 1989-09-19 | 1992-08-04 | Quipp, Incorporated | Sorting conveyor |
US5184712A (en) * | 1991-04-12 | 1993-02-09 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Device for transporting articles to a conveyor apparatus of a packaging machine |
US5207309A (en) * | 1992-08-18 | 1993-05-04 | Simpkin Steven W | Concomitant motion control device |
US5226211A (en) * | 1992-07-28 | 1993-07-13 | Tri-Way Machine Ltd. | Precision guided transfer fixture |
US5231926A (en) * | 1991-10-11 | 1993-08-03 | Sequa Corporation | Apparatus and method for substantially reducing can spacing and speed to match chain pins |
US5246218A (en) * | 1992-09-25 | 1993-09-21 | Intel Corporation | Apparatus for securing an automatically loaded wafer cassette on a wafer processing equipment |
US5261935A (en) * | 1990-09-26 | 1993-11-16 | Tokyo Electron Sagami Limited | Clean air apparatus |
US5275275A (en) * | 1991-07-29 | 1994-01-04 | G.D Societa' Per Azioni | Method of transferring products between continuously-moving conveyors |
US5382127A (en) * | 1992-08-04 | 1995-01-17 | International Business Machines Corporation | Pressurized interface apparatus for transferring a semiconductor wafer between a pressurized sealable transportable container and a processing equipment |
US5387265A (en) * | 1991-10-29 | 1995-02-07 | Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. | Semiconductor wafer reaction furnace with wafer transfer means |
US5388945A (en) * | 1992-08-04 | 1995-02-14 | International Business Machines Corporation | Fully automated and computerized conveyor based manufacturing line architectures adapted to pressurized sealable transportable containers |
US5439091A (en) * | 1992-07-02 | 1995-08-08 | Utica Enterprises, Inc. | Reciprocating lift mechanism |
US5558198A (en) * | 1995-09-18 | 1996-09-24 | Juarez; Ramiro O. | Band transportation system |
US5617944A (en) * | 1995-06-15 | 1997-04-08 | Valiant Machine & Tool, Inc. | Shuttle transfer assembly |
US5628604A (en) * | 1994-05-17 | 1997-05-13 | Shinko Electric Co., Ltd. | Conveying system |
US5628614A (en) * | 1995-03-16 | 1997-05-13 | Douglas Machine Limited Liability Company | Continuous motion stacking apparatus and methods |
US5653327A (en) * | 1994-10-21 | 1997-08-05 | Electrocom Gard Ltd. | Inserter device and a method for transposing a stream of products using the same |
US5667056A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-09-16 | Sears, Roebuck And Co. | Hanger transport system |
US5762544A (en) * | 1995-10-27 | 1998-06-09 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Carrier head design for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus |
US5788447A (en) * | 1995-08-05 | 1998-08-04 | Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. | Substrate processing apparatus |
US5823319A (en) * | 1996-05-10 | 1998-10-20 | The Buschman Company | Control system for the drop-out zone of a constant speed accumulating conveyor |
US5827118A (en) * | 1996-08-28 | 1998-10-27 | Seh America, Inc. | Clean storage unit air flow system |
US5829939A (en) * | 1993-04-13 | 1998-11-03 | Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha | Treatment apparatus |
US5955857A (en) * | 1995-08-14 | 1999-09-21 | Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd. | Wafer conveyor system |
US6036426A (en) * | 1996-01-26 | 2000-03-14 | Creative Design Corporation | Wafer handling method and apparatus |
US6042324A (en) * | 1999-03-26 | 2000-03-28 | Asm America, Inc. | Multi-stage single-drive FOUP door system |
US6054181A (en) * | 1993-10-29 | 2000-04-25 | Tokyo Electron Limited | Method of substrate processing to form a film on multiple target objects |
US6079927A (en) * | 1998-04-22 | 2000-06-27 | Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. | Automated wafer buffer for use with wafer processing equipment |
US6092979A (en) * | 1996-01-25 | 2000-07-25 | I.M.A. Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. | Method and apparatus for taking over and piling articles supplied in a plurality of rows and for conveying obtained piles of articles to a packaging line |
US6183186B1 (en) * | 1997-08-29 | 2001-02-06 | Daitron, Inc. | Wafer handling system and method |
US6223887B1 (en) * | 1997-11-21 | 2001-05-01 | Daifuku Co., Ltd. | Device for Transferring Products |
US6227345B1 (en) * | 1998-03-23 | 2001-05-08 | Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | Transfer apparatus of chip components |
US6235634B1 (en) * | 1997-10-08 | 2001-05-22 | Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc. | Modular substrate processing system |
US6280134B1 (en) * | 1997-06-17 | 2001-08-28 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Apparatus and method for automated cassette handling |
US6283692B1 (en) * | 1998-12-01 | 2001-09-04 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Apparatus for storing and moving a cassette |
US6304051B1 (en) * | 1999-03-15 | 2001-10-16 | Berkeley Process Control, Inc. | Self teaching robotic carrier handling system |
US6379096B1 (en) * | 1999-02-22 | 2002-04-30 | Scp Global Technologies, Inc. | Buffer storage system |
US6435330B1 (en) * | 1998-12-18 | 2002-08-20 | Asyai Technologies, Inc. | In/out load port transfer mechanism |
US6435331B1 (en) * | 2001-03-16 | 2002-08-20 | Lockheed Martin Corporation | Dynamic gap establishing synchronous product insertion system |
US6506009B1 (en) * | 2000-03-16 | 2003-01-14 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Apparatus for storing and moving a cassette |
US6511065B1 (en) * | 2001-08-28 | 2003-01-28 | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag | Method for transferring signatures and gripper assembly for a matched velocity transfer device |
US6517304B1 (en) * | 1999-03-31 | 2003-02-11 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Method for transporting substrates and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using the method |
US6579052B1 (en) * | 1997-07-11 | 2003-06-17 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | SMIF pod storage, delivery and retrieval system |
US6581750B1 (en) * | 2000-07-26 | 2003-06-24 | Carl Strutz & Co., Inc. | Method and apparatus for changing the orientation of workpieces about an angled axis for a decorator |
Family Cites Families (75)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1639758A (en) | 1925-02-12 | 1927-08-23 | Jervis B Webb | Overhead loading mechanism |
US1906036A (en) | 1930-05-28 | 1933-04-25 | Moore Co | Conveying mechanism |
US2153071A (en) | 1938-01-24 | 1939-04-04 | Mechanical Handling Sys Inc | Conveyer |
US2949996A (en) | 1957-07-08 | 1960-08-23 | Radio Steel & Mfg Co | Article conveyor and transfer mechanism |
US3058604A (en) | 1959-10-22 | 1962-10-16 | Hauson Van Winkle Munning Co | Article treating machine and loadunload mechanism therefor |
US3131801A (en) | 1960-04-09 | 1964-05-05 | Buehler Ag Geb | Vertical type endless conveyor |
US3184032A (en) | 1962-06-26 | 1965-05-18 | Lecab Rullbanor Aktiebolag | Arrangement in paternoster elevators |
DE1632196A1 (en) | 1967-03-25 | 1970-05-14 | Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg | Cigarette ring conveyor system |
FR1532401A (en) | 1967-05-17 | 1968-07-12 | Seita | Transfer process between moving carriers |
US3815723A (en) | 1971-11-05 | 1974-06-11 | Cutler Hammer Inc | Method and apparatus for transferring and storing articles |
FR2580262B1 (en) | 1985-04-12 | 1987-05-22 | Efcis | INSTALLATION FOR HANDLING FRAGILE OBJECTS IN A DUST-CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE |
US4750605A (en) | 1985-08-07 | 1988-06-14 | Lamb Technicon Corp. | Workpiece transfer system |
US4730733A (en) | 1985-09-06 | 1988-03-15 | Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha | System for delivering and inspecting packages |
DE3673307D1 (en) | 1985-10-09 | 1990-09-13 | Sig Schweiz Industrieges | DEVICE FOR SEPARATING AND FEEDING RURAL FOOD PRODUCTS TO A PACKING MACHINE. |
CA1261368A (en) | 1985-10-28 | 1989-09-26 | Donald C. Crawford | Computer controlled non-contact feeder |
US4901843A (en) | 1986-04-02 | 1990-02-20 | Minnesota Automation, Inc. | Advancing motion rotary apparatus |
US4852717A (en) | 1986-11-12 | 1989-08-01 | Fmc Corporation | Computer controlled light contact feeder |
DE3702775A1 (en) | 1987-01-30 | 1988-08-11 | Leybold Ag | DEVICE FOR QUASI-CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF SUBSTRATES |
US4936438A (en) | 1988-05-31 | 1990-06-26 | Welduction Automation Inc. | Conveyor loading and unloading apparatus |
JP2905857B2 (en) | 1989-08-11 | 1999-06-14 | 東京エレクトロン株式会社 | Vertical processing equipment |
DE3938719A1 (en) | 1989-11-23 | 1991-05-29 | Rovema Gmbh | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROMOTING AND SYNCHRONIZING THE MOVEMENT OF OBJECTS |
US5052544A (en) | 1989-12-29 | 1991-10-01 | Apv Douglas Machine Corporation | Tray loading machine |
US5332013A (en) | 1991-03-15 | 1994-07-26 | Shinko Electric Co., Ltd. | Unmanned conveying device in clean room |
JP2867194B2 (en) | 1992-02-05 | 1999-03-08 | 東京エレクトロン株式会社 | Processing device and processing method |
EP0582017B1 (en) | 1992-08-04 | 1995-10-18 | International Business Machines Corporation | Dispatching apparatus with a gas supply distribution system for handling and storing pressurized sealable transportable containers |
US5341915A (en) | 1992-11-06 | 1994-08-30 | Kliklok Corporation | Article phasing, transfer and squaring system for packaging line |
US5269119A (en) | 1993-03-12 | 1993-12-14 | Ossid Corporation | Linearly reciprocating conveyor apparatus |
US5350050A (en) | 1993-09-09 | 1994-09-27 | Donald L. Collver | Continuous vertical conveyor |
US5570990A (en) | 1993-11-05 | 1996-11-05 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | Human guided mobile loader stocker |
EP0735927B1 (en) | 1993-12-23 | 1999-11-03 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Transfer device for piece-goods, especially for postal items |
EP0663686B1 (en) | 1994-01-14 | 1997-06-18 | International Business Machines Corporation | Automatic assembler/disassembler apparatus adapted to pressurized sealable transportable container |
JPH0817894A (en) | 1994-06-27 | 1996-01-19 | Dainippon Screen Mfg Co Ltd | Substrate surface treatment device |
US5560471A (en) | 1994-09-28 | 1996-10-01 | Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S. A. | Apparatus for transferring containers to a moving conveyor |
IT1267468B1 (en) | 1994-10-27 | 1997-02-05 | Hitech Systems Srl | PERFECTED MACHINE FOR GROUPING, FOR PACKAGING PURPOSES, OF INDIVIDUALLY CONVEYED PRODUCTS, |
US5588282A (en) | 1994-11-10 | 1996-12-31 | Hartness International, Inc. | Continuous motion case packing apparatus and method |
US5884392A (en) | 1994-12-23 | 1999-03-23 | International Business Machines Corporation | Automatic assembler/disassembler apparatus adapted to pressurized sealable transportable containers |
TW297910B (en) | 1995-02-02 | 1997-02-11 | Tokyo Electron Co Ltd | |
US5586585A (en) | 1995-02-27 | 1996-12-24 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | Direct loadlock interface |
US6227348B1 (en) | 1996-01-26 | 2001-05-08 | Elpatronic Ag | Method and apparatus for separating and bringing together series of container bodies |
US5681597A (en) | 1996-02-06 | 1997-10-28 | Liquid Container L.P. | Vacuum conveyor picker for blow bottle container |
NL1003057C2 (en) | 1996-05-07 | 1997-11-10 | Greefs Wagen Carrosserie | Apparatus and method for supplying, removing and transferring objects, such as fruits. |
IT1285694B1 (en) | 1996-05-08 | 1998-06-18 | Azionaria Costruzioni Acma Spa | METHOD AND UNIT FOR THE TRAINING AND CONVEYANCE OF GROUPS OF PRODUCTS |
AU708332B2 (en) | 1996-05-13 | 1999-08-05 | Ipt Weinfelden Ag | Method for the suspended conveying of containers and device for carrying out said method |
FR2754525B1 (en) | 1996-10-14 | 1998-12-31 | Eurocri Soc Nouv | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING PRODUCTS ACCORDING TO A DETERMINED STEP |
US5957648A (en) | 1996-12-11 | 1999-09-28 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Factory automation apparatus and method for handling, moving and storing semiconductor wafer carriers |
US5980183A (en) | 1997-04-14 | 1999-11-09 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | Integrated intrabay buffer, delivery, and stocker system |
KR100510433B1 (en) | 1998-04-06 | 2006-07-27 | 다이니치쇼지 가부시키가이샤 | container |
US6142722A (en) | 1998-06-17 | 2000-11-07 | Genmark Automation, Inc. | Automated opening and closing of ultra clean storage containers |
KR100646906B1 (en) | 1998-09-22 | 2006-11-17 | 동경 엘렉트론 주식회사 | Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method |
US6309279B1 (en) | 1999-02-19 | 2001-10-30 | Speedfam-Ipec Corporation | Arrangements for wafer polishing |
US6921756B2 (en) | 1999-07-06 | 2005-07-26 | Methylgene, Inc. | Inhibitors of β-lactamase |
US6919001B2 (en) | 2000-05-01 | 2005-07-19 | Intevac, Inc. | Disk coating system |
DE10053725A1 (en) | 2000-10-30 | 2002-05-16 | Kao Chemicals Europe Sl | Compositions comprising hydrophobic silicone oils and ethoxylated glycerides |
US20020090282A1 (en) * | 2001-01-05 | 2002-07-11 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Actuatable loadport system |
US6826986B2 (en) | 2001-05-05 | 2004-12-07 | Ah Beng Lim | Bi-directional singulation system and method |
US6699329B2 (en) | 2001-05-25 | 2004-03-02 | George Koch Sons, Llc | Coating and curing system |
US20030031538A1 (en) * | 2001-06-30 | 2003-02-13 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Datum plate for use in installations of substrate handling systems |
US6524463B2 (en) | 2001-07-16 | 2003-02-25 | Technic, Inc. | Method of processing wafers and other planar articles within a processing cell |
US20030010449A1 (en) | 2001-07-16 | 2003-01-16 | Gramarossa Daniel J. | Automatic wafer processing and plating system |
US20030110649A1 (en) * | 2001-12-19 | 2003-06-19 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Automatic calibration method for substrate carrier handling robot and jig for performing the method |
US20030202865A1 (en) * | 2002-04-25 | 2003-10-30 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate transfer apparatus |
US20040081546A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2004-04-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
US7243003B2 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2007-07-10 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
US6955197B2 (en) | 2002-08-31 | 2005-10-18 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate carrier having door latching and substrate clamping mechanisms |
US7930061B2 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2011-04-19 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for loading and unloading substrate carriers on moving conveyors using feedback |
US7684895B2 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2010-03-23 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Wafer loading station that automatically retracts from a moving conveyor in response to an unscheduled event |
US20050095110A1 (en) | 2002-08-31 | 2005-05-05 | Lowrance Robert B. | Method and apparatus for unloading substrate carriers from substrate carrier transport system |
US7234584B2 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2007-06-26 | Applied Materials, Inc. | System for transporting substrate carriers |
US7221993B2 (en) | 2003-01-27 | 2007-05-22 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Systems and methods for transferring small lot size substrate carriers between processing tools |
US7230702B2 (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2007-06-12 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Monitoring of smart pin transition timing |
TW200524073A (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2005-07-16 | Applied Materials Inc | Kinematic pin with shear member and substrate carrier for use therewith |
US7168553B2 (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2007-01-30 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Dynamically balanced substrate carrier handler |
TWI367192B (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2012-07-01 | Applied Materials Inc | Calibration of high speed loader to substrate transport system |
US7409263B2 (en) * | 2004-07-14 | 2008-08-05 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for repositioning support for a substrate carrier |
US20070258796A1 (en) * | 2006-04-26 | 2007-11-08 | Englhardt Eric A | Methods and apparatus for transporting substrate carriers |
-
2003
- 2003-08-28 US US10/650,479 patent/US20040081546A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2008
- 2008-04-09 US US12/100,388 patent/US7857570B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (99)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3710923A (en) * | 1969-10-18 | 1973-01-16 | Fromme Foerderanlagen Gmbh | Article sorting installation with an endless conveyor discharge mechanism |
US3710921A (en) * | 1970-06-10 | 1973-01-16 | Leidsche Apparatenfab Nv | Selection apparatus |
US3722656A (en) * | 1971-06-23 | 1973-03-27 | Rexham Corp | System for handling and accumulating articles |
US3734263A (en) * | 1971-07-02 | 1973-05-22 | A Dirks | Revolvable station for processing a movable procession of factory-work pieces such as animal carcasses |
US3990569A (en) * | 1972-12-18 | 1976-11-09 | Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. | Apparatus for arranging, at a predetermined spacing on a reception conveyor, objects originating in a disordered manner from a delivery conveyor |
US3901376A (en) * | 1973-04-10 | 1975-08-26 | Remy & Cie E P | Continuously operating device for conveying and selecting cases |
US4006813A (en) * | 1973-07-09 | 1977-02-08 | Sig Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft | Article separating and conveying system |
US4029194A (en) * | 1974-05-13 | 1977-06-14 | Pemco, Inc. | Automatic indexing and transferring apparatus |
US4040302A (en) * | 1975-01-03 | 1977-08-09 | Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Chain drive for a transfer machine |
US4033403A (en) * | 1975-09-17 | 1977-07-05 | Seaton Engineering Company | Synchronizing velocity and position control |
US4044886A (en) * | 1975-12-29 | 1977-08-30 | Sender Wilfred E | System for handling structural members |
US4166527A (en) * | 1977-08-01 | 1979-09-04 | Stelron Cam Company | Device for picking up and placing articles on movable conveyors and assembly lines and to an endless construction and to an article pickup and deposit device therefor |
US4261236A (en) * | 1978-02-20 | 1981-04-14 | Arenco-Decoufle, Societe Anonyme Francaise | Device for converting the axial movement of cylindrical rod-shaped objects into a lateral translation |
US4340137A (en) * | 1978-03-27 | 1982-07-20 | Opcon, Inc. | Cant movement and aligning mechanism |
US4294344A (en) * | 1978-09-21 | 1981-10-13 | Tevopharm-Schiedam B.V. | Apparatus for positioning articles between the carriers of a drag conveyor, said articles being fed in a continuous closed row |
US4266652A (en) * | 1978-11-10 | 1981-05-12 | Maschinenfabrik Alfred Schmermund Gmbh & Co. | Apparatus for conveying articles |
US4222479A (en) * | 1978-11-13 | 1980-09-16 | Coors Container Company | Container conveying and transfer system |
US4401522A (en) * | 1980-09-29 | 1983-08-30 | Micro-Plate, Inc. | Plating method and apparatus |
US4506779A (en) * | 1980-12-12 | 1985-03-26 | G.D. Societa Per Azioni | Device for transferring bar shaped articles |
US4450950A (en) * | 1981-05-12 | 1984-05-29 | Eastman Kodak Company | Work piece transfer mechanism |
US4653630A (en) * | 1981-11-16 | 1987-03-31 | Anna Bravin | Method of and device for controlling the transfer of articles from a first conveyor belt to predetermined locations on a second conveyor belt |
US4549647A (en) * | 1982-04-02 | 1985-10-29 | Biscuiterie Nantaise-Bn | Apparatus for the transfer of articles between two machines |
US4534843A (en) * | 1983-01-28 | 1985-08-13 | Technic, Inc. | Apparatus for electroplating and chemically treating contact elements of encapsulated electronic components and their like |
US4538720A (en) * | 1983-03-25 | 1985-09-03 | Pet, Incorporated | Apparatus for transferring articles between conveyors |
US4524858A (en) * | 1983-05-24 | 1985-06-25 | Maxey Carl W | Edger transport and position apparatus |
US4540088A (en) * | 1983-06-20 | 1985-09-10 | Wheelabrator-Frye Inc. | Component conveyor apparatus |
US4680919A (en) * | 1983-07-28 | 1987-07-21 | Shigemitsu Hirama | Article delivery transferring device in a collective packing machine |
US4667809A (en) * | 1983-10-19 | 1987-05-26 | Trimmer Machine Co., Inc. | Apparatus for aligning signatures |
US4679685A (en) * | 1983-10-20 | 1987-07-14 | Ab Tetra Pak | Accumulating commodity conveyor |
US4585126A (en) * | 1983-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | Sunkist Growers, Inc. | Method and apparatus for high speed processing of fruit or the like |
US4650264A (en) * | 1983-12-12 | 1987-03-17 | Spacesaver Corporation | Control system for vertical storage equipment |
US4552261A (en) * | 1983-12-27 | 1985-11-12 | Standard-Knapp, Inc. | Article grouper for case packer |
US4603770A (en) * | 1984-01-18 | 1986-08-05 | Hartness Thomas Signor | Rake conveyor apparatus |
US4584944A (en) * | 1984-04-25 | 1986-04-29 | Jervis B. Webb Company | Conveyor system with automatic load transfer |
US4702365A (en) * | 1984-09-10 | 1987-10-27 | Pak Chong Il | Apparatus for removing individual wafer segments from a framed carrier |
US4693359A (en) * | 1984-12-06 | 1987-09-15 | G.D. Societa Per Azioni | Device for transferring bar-shaped articles |
US4775046A (en) * | 1986-01-17 | 1988-10-04 | Future Automation, Inc. | Transport belt for production parts |
US4850102A (en) * | 1986-02-27 | 1989-07-25 | Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | System for installing parts on workpiece |
US4898373A (en) * | 1986-07-03 | 1990-02-06 | Newsome John R | High speed signature manipulating apparatus |
US4869637A (en) * | 1986-08-27 | 1989-09-26 | Bud Antle, Inc. | Plant transfer mechanism |
US5110249A (en) * | 1986-10-23 | 1992-05-05 | Innotec Group, Inc. | Transport system for inline vacuum processing |
US4708727A (en) * | 1986-11-14 | 1987-11-24 | Vitro Tec Fideicomiso | Method and apparatus for synchronizing the velocity of a 90 degree push-out apparatus and of the carrier converyor in an I.S. glassware forming machine |
US4759439A (en) * | 1987-01-29 | 1988-07-26 | Dominion Chain Inc. | Drive mechanism |
US4813528A (en) * | 1987-02-06 | 1989-03-21 | Dominion Chain Inc. | Conveyor loading system |
US4765453A (en) * | 1987-04-27 | 1988-08-23 | Westinghouse Electric Corp. | Pellet-press-to-sintering-boat nuclear fuel pellet loading system |
US4854440A (en) * | 1987-07-25 | 1989-08-08 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Apparatus for transferring articles to a packaging machine conveyor apparatus |
US4964776A (en) * | 1987-12-01 | 1990-10-23 | Tsubakimoto Chain Co. | Article transfer and storage system |
US4830180A (en) * | 1988-01-15 | 1989-05-16 | Key Technology, Inc. | Article inspection and stabilizing system |
US5064337A (en) * | 1988-07-19 | 1991-11-12 | Tokyo Electron Limited | Handling apparatus for transferring carriers and a method of transferring carriers |
US5086909A (en) * | 1988-09-23 | 1992-02-11 | Powell Machinery, Inc. | Gentle handling of fruit during weight sizing and other operations |
US5135102A (en) * | 1989-09-19 | 1992-08-04 | Quipp, Incorporated | Sorting conveyor |
US5113992A (en) * | 1989-09-21 | 1992-05-19 | Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha | Vertical wafer carrying apparatus |
US5261935A (en) * | 1990-09-26 | 1993-11-16 | Tokyo Electron Sagami Limited | Clean air apparatus |
US5184712A (en) * | 1991-04-12 | 1993-02-09 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Device for transporting articles to a conveyor apparatus of a packaging machine |
US5099896A (en) * | 1991-04-24 | 1992-03-31 | Harvey Industries, Inc | Rotary board pick/store/place method and apparatus |
US5275275A (en) * | 1991-07-29 | 1994-01-04 | G.D Societa' Per Azioni | Method of transferring products between continuously-moving conveyors |
US5231926A (en) * | 1991-10-11 | 1993-08-03 | Sequa Corporation | Apparatus and method for substantially reducing can spacing and speed to match chain pins |
US5387265A (en) * | 1991-10-29 | 1995-02-07 | Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. | Semiconductor wafer reaction furnace with wafer transfer means |
US5123518A (en) * | 1991-12-12 | 1992-06-23 | Pfaff Ernest H | Apparatus for properly positioning vials |
US5439091A (en) * | 1992-07-02 | 1995-08-08 | Utica Enterprises, Inc. | Reciprocating lift mechanism |
US5226211A (en) * | 1992-07-28 | 1993-07-13 | Tri-Way Machine Ltd. | Precision guided transfer fixture |
US5382127A (en) * | 1992-08-04 | 1995-01-17 | International Business Machines Corporation | Pressurized interface apparatus for transferring a semiconductor wafer between a pressurized sealable transportable container and a processing equipment |
US5388945A (en) * | 1992-08-04 | 1995-02-14 | International Business Machines Corporation | Fully automated and computerized conveyor based manufacturing line architectures adapted to pressurized sealable transportable containers |
US5207309A (en) * | 1992-08-18 | 1993-05-04 | Simpkin Steven W | Concomitant motion control device |
US5246218A (en) * | 1992-09-25 | 1993-09-21 | Intel Corporation | Apparatus for securing an automatically loaded wafer cassette on a wafer processing equipment |
US5829939A (en) * | 1993-04-13 | 1998-11-03 | Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha | Treatment apparatus |
US6054181A (en) * | 1993-10-29 | 2000-04-25 | Tokyo Electron Limited | Method of substrate processing to form a film on multiple target objects |
US5628604A (en) * | 1994-05-17 | 1997-05-13 | Shinko Electric Co., Ltd. | Conveying system |
US5653327A (en) * | 1994-10-21 | 1997-08-05 | Electrocom Gard Ltd. | Inserter device and a method for transposing a stream of products using the same |
US5628614A (en) * | 1995-03-16 | 1997-05-13 | Douglas Machine Limited Liability Company | Continuous motion stacking apparatus and methods |
US5667056A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-09-16 | Sears, Roebuck And Co. | Hanger transport system |
US5617944A (en) * | 1995-06-15 | 1997-04-08 | Valiant Machine & Tool, Inc. | Shuttle transfer assembly |
US5788447A (en) * | 1995-08-05 | 1998-08-04 | Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd. | Substrate processing apparatus |
US5955857A (en) * | 1995-08-14 | 1999-09-21 | Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd. | Wafer conveyor system |
US5558198A (en) * | 1995-09-18 | 1996-09-24 | Juarez; Ramiro O. | Band transportation system |
US5762544A (en) * | 1995-10-27 | 1998-06-09 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Carrier head design for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus |
US6092979A (en) * | 1996-01-25 | 2000-07-25 | I.M.A. Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. | Method and apparatus for taking over and piling articles supplied in a plurality of rows and for conveying obtained piles of articles to a packaging line |
US6036426A (en) * | 1996-01-26 | 2000-03-14 | Creative Design Corporation | Wafer handling method and apparatus |
US5823319A (en) * | 1996-05-10 | 1998-10-20 | The Buschman Company | Control system for the drop-out zone of a constant speed accumulating conveyor |
US5827118A (en) * | 1996-08-28 | 1998-10-27 | Seh America, Inc. | Clean storage unit air flow system |
US6280134B1 (en) * | 1997-06-17 | 2001-08-28 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Apparatus and method for automated cassette handling |
US6579052B1 (en) * | 1997-07-11 | 2003-06-17 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | SMIF pod storage, delivery and retrieval system |
US6183186B1 (en) * | 1997-08-29 | 2001-02-06 | Daitron, Inc. | Wafer handling system and method |
US6235634B1 (en) * | 1997-10-08 | 2001-05-22 | Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc. | Modular substrate processing system |
US6223887B1 (en) * | 1997-11-21 | 2001-05-01 | Daifuku Co., Ltd. | Device for Transferring Products |
US6227345B1 (en) * | 1998-03-23 | 2001-05-08 | Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | Transfer apparatus of chip components |
US6079927A (en) * | 1998-04-22 | 2000-06-27 | Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. | Automated wafer buffer for use with wafer processing equipment |
US6283692B1 (en) * | 1998-12-01 | 2001-09-04 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Apparatus for storing and moving a cassette |
US6468021B1 (en) * | 1998-12-18 | 2002-10-22 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | Integrated intra-bay transfer, storage, and delivery system |
US6435330B1 (en) * | 1998-12-18 | 2002-08-20 | Asyai Technologies, Inc. | In/out load port transfer mechanism |
US6379096B1 (en) * | 1999-02-22 | 2002-04-30 | Scp Global Technologies, Inc. | Buffer storage system |
US6304051B1 (en) * | 1999-03-15 | 2001-10-16 | Berkeley Process Control, Inc. | Self teaching robotic carrier handling system |
US6042324A (en) * | 1999-03-26 | 2000-03-28 | Asm America, Inc. | Multi-stage single-drive FOUP door system |
US6517304B1 (en) * | 1999-03-31 | 2003-02-11 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Method for transporting substrates and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using the method |
US6506009B1 (en) * | 2000-03-16 | 2003-01-14 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Apparatus for storing and moving a cassette |
US6955517B2 (en) * | 2000-03-16 | 2005-10-18 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Apparatus for storing and moving a cassette |
US6581750B1 (en) * | 2000-07-26 | 2003-06-24 | Carl Strutz & Co., Inc. | Method and apparatus for changing the orientation of workpieces about an angled axis for a decorator |
US6435331B1 (en) * | 2001-03-16 | 2002-08-20 | Lockheed Martin Corporation | Dynamic gap establishing synchronous product insertion system |
US6511065B1 (en) * | 2001-08-28 | 2003-01-28 | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag | Method for transferring signatures and gripper assembly for a matched velocity transfer device |
Cited By (72)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7637707B2 (en) | 1998-12-01 | 2009-12-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Apparatus for storing and moving a cassette |
US7914246B2 (en) | 2001-01-05 | 2011-03-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Actuatable loadport system |
US20090252583A1 (en) * | 2001-01-05 | 2009-10-08 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Actuatable loadport system |
US20080213068A1 (en) * | 2001-06-30 | 2008-09-04 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Datum plate for use in installations of substrate handling systems |
US7794195B2 (en) | 2001-06-30 | 2010-09-14 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Datum plate for use in installations of substrate handling systems |
US7243003B2 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2007-07-10 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
US20040081538A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2004-04-29 | Rice Michael Robert | Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
US20060259196A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2006-11-16 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
US20070061042A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2007-03-15 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
US20050135903A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2005-06-23 | Rice Michael R. | Wafer loading station that automatically retracts from a moving conveyor in response to an unscheduled event |
US7673735B2 (en) | 2002-08-31 | 2010-03-09 | Applied Materials, Inc. | System for transporting substrate carriers |
US7792608B2 (en) | 2002-08-31 | 2010-09-07 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
US20080289932A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2008-11-27 | Applied Materials, Inc. | System for transporting substrate carriers |
US7684895B2 (en) | 2002-08-31 | 2010-03-23 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Wafer loading station that automatically retracts from a moving conveyor in response to an unscheduled event |
US20070274813A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2007-11-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate carrier handler that unloads substrate carriers directly from a moving conveyor |
US7930061B2 (en) | 2002-08-31 | 2011-04-19 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for loading and unloading substrate carriers on moving conveyors using feedback |
US20080071417A1 (en) * | 2002-08-31 | 2008-03-20 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for loading and unloading substrate carriers on moving conveyors using feedback |
US7711445B2 (en) | 2003-01-27 | 2010-05-04 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Systems and methods for transferring small lot size substrate carriers between processing tools |
US20080019810A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2008-01-24 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Overhead transfer flange and support for suspending a substrate carrier |
US7778721B2 (en) | 2003-01-27 | 2010-08-17 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Small lot size lithography bays |
US20050232734A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2005-10-20 | Elliott Martin R | Small lot size substrate carriers |
US20050273191A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2005-12-08 | Englhardt Eric A | Small lot size lithography bays |
US20070059861A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2007-03-15 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Systems and methods for transferring small lot size substrate carriers between processing tools |
US20090308030A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2009-12-17 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Load port configurations for small lot size substrate carriers |
US20050040662A1 (en) * | 2003-01-27 | 2005-02-24 | Rice Michael R. | Overhead transfer flange and support for suspending a substrate carrier |
US20080187414A1 (en) * | 2003-08-28 | 2008-08-07 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
US7857570B2 (en) | 2003-08-28 | 2010-12-28 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool |
US7912576B2 (en) | 2003-11-13 | 2011-03-22 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Calibration of high speed loader to substrate transport system |
US8020689B2 (en) | 2003-11-13 | 2011-09-20 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Break-away positioning conveyor mount for accommodating conveyor belt bends |
US20080050217A1 (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2008-02-28 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Kinematic pin with shear member and substrate carrier for use therewith |
US20090205930A1 (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2009-08-20 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Break-away positioning conveyor mount for accommodating conveyor belt bends |
US20090030547A1 (en) * | 2003-11-13 | 2009-01-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Calibration of high speed loader to substrate transport system |
US20080286076A1 (en) * | 2004-07-14 | 2008-11-20 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for repositioning support for a substrate carrier |
US7914248B2 (en) | 2004-07-14 | 2011-03-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for repositioning support for a substrate carrier |
US20060188360A1 (en) * | 2005-02-24 | 2006-08-24 | Bonora Anthony C | Direct tool loading |
US20080267742A1 (en) * | 2005-02-24 | 2008-10-30 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | Direct Tool Loading |
US20060188358A1 (en) * | 2005-02-24 | 2006-08-24 | Bonora Anthony C | Direct tool loading |
US7445415B2 (en) | 2005-02-24 | 2008-11-04 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | Direct tool loading |
US7410340B2 (en) | 2005-02-24 | 2008-08-12 | Asyst Technologies, Inc. | Direct tool loading |
US7651307B2 (en) * | 2005-02-24 | 2010-01-26 | Muratec Automation Co., Ltd. | Direct tool loading |
US7798759B2 (en) | 2005-05-16 | 2010-09-21 | Muratec Automation Co., Ltd. | Modular terminal for high-throughput AMHS |
US20070128007A1 (en) * | 2005-05-16 | 2007-06-07 | Bonora Anthony C | Modular terminal for high-throughput AMHS |
US10651063B2 (en) | 2005-06-18 | 2020-05-12 | Frederick A. Flitsch | Methods of prototyping and manufacturing with cleanspace fabricators |
US10627809B2 (en) | 2005-06-18 | 2020-04-21 | Frederick A. Flitsch | Multilevel fabricators |
US20100209226A1 (en) * | 2005-06-18 | 2010-08-19 | Flitsch Frederick A | Method and apparatus to support process tool modules in a cleanspace fabricator |
US9457442B2 (en) * | 2005-06-18 | 2016-10-04 | Futrfab, Inc. | Method and apparatus to support process tool modules in a cleanspace fabricator |
US11024527B2 (en) | 2005-06-18 | 2021-06-01 | Frederick A. Flitsch | Methods and apparatus for novel fabricators with Cleanspace |
US20070059130A1 (en) * | 2005-08-18 | 2007-03-15 | Flitsch Frederick A | Method and apparatus to support a cleanspace fabricator |
US9339900B2 (en) * | 2005-08-18 | 2016-05-17 | Futrfab, Inc. | Apparatus to support a cleanspace fabricator |
US20070258796A1 (en) * | 2006-04-26 | 2007-11-08 | Englhardt Eric A | Methods and apparatus for transporting substrate carriers |
US7496423B2 (en) | 2007-05-11 | 2009-02-24 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Method of achieving high productivity fault tolerant photovoltaic factory with batch array transfer robots |
US20090012643A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2009-01-08 | Bachrach Robert Z | Method of achieving high productivity fault tolerant photovoltaic factory with batch array transfer robots |
US20080292433A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2008-11-27 | Bachrach Robert Z | Batch equipment robots and methods of array to array work-piece transfer for photovoltaic factory |
US20080279658A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2008-11-13 | Bachrach Robert Z | Batch equipment robots and methods within equipment work-piece transfer for photovoltaic factory |
US20080279672A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2008-11-13 | Bachrach Robert Z | Batch equipment robots and methods of stack to array work-piece transfer for photovoltaic factory |
US7640071B2 (en) | 2007-05-11 | 2009-12-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Method of achieving high productivity fault tolerant photovoltaic factory with batch array transfer robots |
US20080281457A1 (en) * | 2007-05-11 | 2008-11-13 | Bachrach Robert Z | Method of achieving high productivity fault tolerant photovoltaic factory with batch array transfer robots |
US20080293329A1 (en) * | 2007-05-21 | 2008-11-27 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for identifying a substrate edge profile and adjusting the processing of the substrate according to the identified edge profile |
US7984543B2 (en) * | 2008-01-25 | 2011-07-26 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods for moving a substrate carrier |
US20090188103A1 (en) * | 2008-01-25 | 2009-07-30 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for moving a substrate carrier |
US20100179683A1 (en) * | 2009-01-11 | 2010-07-15 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods, systems and apparatus for rapid exchange of work material |
US8886354B2 (en) | 2009-01-11 | 2014-11-11 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Methods, systems and apparatus for rapid exchange of work material |
CN102893385A (en) * | 2010-05-13 | 2013-01-23 | 村田机械株式会社 | Transfer device |
US9056718B2 (en) | 2010-05-13 | 2015-06-16 | Murata Machinery, Ltd. | Transfer device |
US11450539B2 (en) | 2013-08-12 | 2022-09-20 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate processing systems, apparatus, and methods with factory interface environmental controls |
US10192765B2 (en) | 2013-08-12 | 2019-01-29 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate processing systems, apparatus, and methods with factory interface environmental controls |
US11282724B2 (en) | 2013-08-12 | 2022-03-22 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate processing systems, apparatus, and methods with factory interface environmental controls |
US10381247B2 (en) | 2013-09-25 | 2019-08-13 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Gas systems and methods for chamber ports |
US9435025B2 (en) | 2013-09-25 | 2016-09-06 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Gas apparatus, systems, and methods for chamber ports |
US11003149B2 (en) | 2014-11-25 | 2021-05-11 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate processing systems, apparatus, and methods with substrate carrier and purge chamber environmental controls |
US10359743B2 (en) | 2014-11-25 | 2019-07-23 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate processing systems, apparatus, and methods with substrate carrier and purge chamber environmental controls |
US11782404B2 (en) | 2014-11-25 | 2023-10-10 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Substrate processing systems, apparatus, and methods with substrate carrier and purge chamber environmental controls |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20080187414A1 (en) | 2008-08-07 |
US7857570B2 (en) | 2010-12-28 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US7857570B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for supplying substrates to a processing tool | |
US11587816B2 (en) | Container storage add-on for bare workpiece stocker | |
TWI508217B (en) | Substrate processing apparatus | |
JP7263639B2 (en) | Substrate transfer section | |
US6079927A (en) | Automated wafer buffer for use with wafer processing equipment | |
EP1048059B1 (en) | Two-wafer loadlock wafer processing apparatus and loading and unloading method therefor | |
US20060263187A1 (en) | Method and apparatus for unloading substrate carriers from substrate carrier transport system | |
EP0980585B1 (en) | Multiple single-wafer loadlock wafer processing apparatus and loading and unloading method therefor | |
US7591624B2 (en) | Reticle storage pod (RSP) transport system utilizing FOUP adapter plate | |
US9834378B2 (en) | Loader and buffer for reduced lot size | |
US8764370B2 (en) | Scalable stockers with automatic handling buffer | |
US20020187024A1 (en) | Apparatus for storing and moving a carrier | |
JPH10256346A (en) | Cassette transferring mechanism and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus | |
US7585142B2 (en) | Substrate handling chamber with movable substrate carrier loading platform | |
KR101058597B1 (en) | Method and apparatus for feeding substrate to processing tool | |
KR100985723B1 (en) | Apparatus and method for treating substrates of multi chamber type | |
KR100806250B1 (en) | A foup stocker for loadlock chamber direct-coupled to load port | |
KR100717990B1 (en) | A transportation system for processing semiconductor material | |
JP2014060338A (en) | Substrate processing apparatus | |
EP2245656B1 (en) | Automatic handling buffer for bare stocker | |
US20020153578A1 (en) | Wafer buffering system | |
JPH06329209A (en) | Wafer cassette carrying device of semiconductor manufacturing device |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:ELLIOTT, MARTIN R.;LOWRANCE, ROBERT B.;RICE, MICHAEL R.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:014773/0433;SIGNING DATES FROM 20031014 TO 20031028 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |