| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 414217100 | For carrying Standarized Mechanical Interface (SMIF) type | 58 |
| 20080206022 | Mult-axis robot arms in substrate vacuum processing tool - A substrate processing apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a substrate load lock chamber. A substrate transfer chamber is vacuum coupled to the substrate load lock chamber. A plurality of process chamber modules are vacuum coupled to the substrate transfer chamber. One or more multi-axis robot arms in the substrate transfer chamber may transfer semiconductor substrates between the load lock chamber and the plurality of process chamber modules under sub-atmospheric conditions. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080206023 | Semiconductor substrate processing apparatus with horizontally clustered vertical stacks - A substrate processing apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a substrate load lock chamber. A plurality of storage bays may be used to store semiconductor substrates. A first set of one or more multi-axis robot arms may transfer one or more semiconductor substrates between the substrate load lock chamber and the plurality of storage bays. A substrate transfer chamber is vacuum coupled to the substrate load lock chamber. A plurality of process chamber modules are vacuum coupled to the substrate transfer chamber. A second set of one or more multi-axis robot arms may transfer semiconductor substrates between the storage bays and the plurality of process chamber modules under sub-atmospheric conditions. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080247845 | PROCESSING APPARATUS AND ATMOSPHERE EXCHANGE METHOD - A processing apparatus configured to process a substrate under a vacuum environment includes a holding unit configured to hold the substrate, a dust collection part having a surface opposite to the substrate held by the holding unit, a vacuum chamber configured to accommodate the holding unit and to have an internal space that can be decompressed, a temperature controlling unit configured to control a temperature of the surface of the dust collection part opposite to the substrate to a temperature lower than a temperature of the substrate, and a driving unit configured to bring one of the holding unit and the dust collection part close to the other after the temperature controlling unit controls the temperature of the surface of the dust collection part opposite to the substrate. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080247846 | ATMOSPHERE EXCHANGE METHOD - There is provided a method for exchanging an atmosphere of a vacuum chamber of a processing apparatus configured to process a substrate under a vacuum environment. The method includes the steps of holding the substrate using a holding unit provided in the vacuum chamber, and exchanging the atmosphere of the vacuum chamber through exhaustion or air supply, wherein the exchanging step maintains a pressure of the vacuum chamber in a range between 10 Pa and 10000 Pa for a period between 10 seconds and 600 seconds while controlling a temperature of a dust collection unit provided in the vacuum chamber lower than a temperature of the substrate. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080260501 | Fabrication method for semiconductor device and manufacturing apparatus for the same - A shallow p-n junction diffusion layer having a high activation rate of implanted ions, low resistivity, and a controlled leakage current is formed through annealing. Annealing after impurities have been doped is carried out through light irradiation. Those impurities are activated by annealing at least twice through light irradiation after doping impurities to a semiconductor substrate | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080267743 | APPARATUS FOR IMPRINTING AND/OR EMBOSSING SUBSTRATES - The invention relates to an apparatus for imprinting and/or embossing substrates ( | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080292432 | AIRFLOW MANAGEMENT FOR PARTICLE ABATEMENT IN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT - An airflow management system and/or method used in particle abatement in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. In particular, the apparatus disclosed is capable of creating and managing a carefully controlled particle free environment for the handling of semiconductor wafers or similar articles. The apparatus is particularly suited to be used as an interface between an equipment front end module (EFEM) and a vacuum loadlock chamber or other such article of process equipment. The apparatus also enables relative motion between enclosures while maintaining a particle free environment utilizing a moving air diffuser mounted to an interface panel. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080298935 | Wafer Cassette, Wafer Cassette Pod and Minienvironment Chamber Loadport Arrangement with a Minienvironment Chamber and a Wafer Cassette Pod with a Wafer Cassette - Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a wafer cassette, to a wafer cassette pod and to a minienvironment chamber loadport arrangement with a minienvironment chamber and a wafer cassette pod. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a wafer cassette is provided which has a plurality of wafer supports for supporting wafers, with the wafer supports being designed such that the pitch between wafers supported by means of the wafer supports is variable. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080298936 | VACUUM SUBSTRATE STORAGE - A two piece shell is employed for intermediate and long term storage of substrates. The shell is formed of two halves that can be juxtaposed in vacuum and externally vented, with the internal vacuum retaining the halves in vacuum-sealed engagement. One of the halves also provides a vacuum-sealing perimeter for selectively sealing to a process chamber during loading and/or unloading of the shell with a substrate. A vacuum monitor or the like may be employed to monitor pressure during storage and provide alerts if the vacuum within the sealed shell is compromised. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080304944 | Preventing Contamination in Integrated Circuit Manufacturing Lines - A semiconductor manufacturing line includes an inert environment selected from the group consisting essentially of an inert airtight wafer holder, an inert wafer transport channel, an inert production tool, an inert clean room, and combinations thereof. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080317564 | WAFER SUPPORTING DEVICE OF A SPUTTERING APPARATUS - A wafer supporting device of a sputter apparatus includes a pedestal positioned in a sputtering chamber and used to load a wafer for sputtering, a deposition ring having a recess positioned on a peripheral portion of the pedestal, and a cover ring positioned on the pedestal and the deposition ring. The cover ring has a gate corresponding to the recess. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090003979 | TECHNIQUES FOR HANDLING SUBSTRATES - Techniques for handling substrates are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a substrate support. The substrate support may comprise a mounting portion. The substrate support may also comprise a wall extending from the mounting portion, wherein the wall may form a generally enclosed area and may have a contact surface at a distal end. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090028673 | DIRECT TOOL LOADING - Systems for loading and unloading semiconductor wafers to and from semiconductor processing or storage equipment are disclosed. One system includes a pair of conveyor rails for transporting a container capable of holding semiconductor wafers around a processing facility. The pair of conveyor rails defining a plane on which the container is supported and transported. The system includes a load port positioned adjacent to the conveyor rails. The load port has a support plate for holding a container and an arm coupled to the support plate. The arm is configured to move between a lower position and an upper position, and the lower position is defined between the pair of conveyor rails and below the plane of the conveyor rails. The upper position is in a load/unload position, and the arm has a bend that enables the support plate to be placed over one of the pair of conveyor rails without requiring a notch in the one conveyor rail. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090060689 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM HAVING IMPROVED SUBSTRATE TRANSPORT SYSTEM - A substrate processing system includes a first load lock, a process chamber having a first opening to allow an exchange of a substrate between the first load lock and the first process chamber, first rollers in the process chamber; and second rollers in the first load lock, wherein the first rollers and the second rollers are configured to transport a substrate thereon through the first opening between the first load lock and the process chamber. The first rollers and the second rollers are not rotated by an active transport mechanism. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090087287 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER TRANSFER - An apparatus for semiconductor wafer transfer comprises a first region for placement of a pod, a second region for placement of a cassette, an unloading mechanism, and a transferring mechanism for transferring wafers in the unloaded pod to the cassette horizontally. In an embodiment, the pod is unloaded by lifting the housing of the pod, and preferably the apparatus for movement of semiconductor wafers further comprises a carrying mechanism for moving the cassette toward the pod, so that the cassette can be closer to the pod for smoothing wafer transfer. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090116938 | CHECK VALVE AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS USING SAME - A check valve is installed in a line having a fluid path for preventing generation of a back flow in the fluid path. The check valve includes a cylindrical member in which a part of the fluid path is formed; a valve body installed in the cylindrical member and rotatable between a blocking position for blocking the fluid path and an opening position for opening the fluid path; a rotary shaft which is installed horizontally to divide the valve body into a large area and a small area and allows the valve body to rotate thereabout; and a locking member for locking the valve body in the blocking position. The small area has a larger mass than that of the large area. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090142166 | CONTAINER LID OPENING/CLOSING SYSTEM AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING METHOD USING THE SYSTEM - Provided is an FIMS system in which loading is possible in a manner in which multiple thin pods are vertically stacked together, with an information pad being arranged on an abutment surface of the main body of each pod abutting a door and on the side surface of the door corresponding to the abutment surface. When there is detected a state in which the door is pushed in toward a mini-environment, information imparted to the information pad can be detected by the FIMS system. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090196714 | Device for the transport, storage, and transfer of substrates - According to the invention, a transport box ‘ | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090214323 | SUBSTRATE CARRIER SYSTEM - A substrate carrier system is provided for physical management of substrate(s) during a variety of assembly techniques performed on the both sides of the substrate(s) without dismounting or changing carrier systems. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090274537 | Suspension apparatus and exposure apparatus - A suspension apparatus includes a linking component which is used to suspend and support an object. The linking component has a first member which is connected to the object, and a second member which is linked to the first member, and the first member and the second member are linked together such that a relative position of each in a first direction is regulated, while relative movement between the first member and the second member in a second direction which is different from the first direction is possible. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090297298 | CONTAINED OBJECT TRANSFER SYSTEM - A transfer chamber is partitioned into a second chamber in which a transfer robot moving through an opening portion which can be opened/closed by a door is arranged, and a minute first chamber which serves as a FIMS system and includes a door capable of retaining a lid of a pod. The second chamber maintains a state in which an inert gas constantly circulates owing to minute nitrogen while having a pressure higher than that inside the first chamber. The first chamber is normally sealed while an oxide gas is suppressed in advance. In addition, at a time of transferring wafers, a partial pressure of the oxide gas is lowered with use of a downflow which is caused by the inert gas. Further, the first chamber and the second chamber are communicated with each other after a level of the partial pressure is confirmed with use of an oxygen level meter. As described above, an existing amount of the oxide gas is reduced in the so-called transfer chamber in semiconductor processing equipment in which the FIMS system is secured. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20090297299 | RETICLE STORAGE POD (RSP) TRANSPORT SYSTEM UTILIZING FOUP ADAPTER PLATE - A combination of a FOUP (front opening unified pod) system and a reticle system utilized for the transport of wafers and a reticle system, the latter of which are used for transporting reticles from a first fabrication site to a further site at another location, and which provides for a unified system enabling the automated and trackable delivery of the reticles between these sites. Provided is a modified FOUP base structure, which is adapted to retain a reticle and to be able to employ existing equipment in a fabrication site which only necessitates a minimal modification of the equipment in order to render the latter universally adaptable to the combination of the systems. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20090324367 | VACUUM PROCESSING APPARATUS - A vacuum processing apparatus includes vacuum processing vessels each having a processing chamber with a pressure-reduced interior space, a vacuum transfer vessel which is coupled to the vacuum vessels disposed therearound and which has a low-pressure interior space in which a to-be-processed workpiece is conveyed, an atmospheric air transfer vessel which is coupled to the front side of the vacuum transfer vessel and which includes on its front face side cassette tables mounting thereon a cassette with the workpiece received therein for conveying the workpiece in an interior space under an atmospheric pressure, a position-aligning machine disposed within the atmospheric air transfer vessel at one of right and left ends for adjusting a position of the workpiece, and an adjuster disposed between lower part of this machine and a floor face for adjusting the supply of a fluid being fed to the vacuum processing vessels. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100003110 | SUCTION HOLDING APPARATUS AND SUCTION HOLDING METHOD - The invention provides a suction holding apparatus and a suction holding method that allow suction-holding a substrate reliably irrespective of substrate type, with a simple and inexpensive structure. The suction holding apparatus comprises a suction plate ( | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100008748 | Apparatus for loading and unloading semiconductor substrate platelets - The goal of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of cooperation with at least one piece of wafer processing equipment, comprising leak proof walls comprising a first opening comprising means for the connection to a first equipment chosen from between a transfer chamber and a processing chamber, a second opening comprising means of connection to a wafer transport case containing a basket, comprising a series of stacked parallel trays suitable for storing a wafer each, the basket being susceptible of being transported inside the apparatus, means of moving the basket from and to the transport case, and means for immobilizing the trays. The apparatus further comprises a third opening comprising means for the connection to a second piece of equipment chosen from between an EFEM module and a transfer chamber, and means for the placement and support of a wafer capable of working together with movement means for the wafer enabling its passage through the second opening and/or the third opening. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100021273 | CONCRETE VACUUM CHAMBER - The present invention embodies processing systems and vacuum chambers equipped to process substrates for flat panel displays, solar cells, or other electronic devices. The processing system and/or the vacuum chambers as well as their components and supporting structure are constructed of less costly materials and in a more energy efficient manner than that of current large area substrate processing systems. In one embodiment, the processing system chamber bodies and their supporting structures are constructed of reinforced concrete. In one embodiment, system processing chambers include a vacuum tight lining disposed inside reinforced concrete chamber bodies. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100034621 | END EFFECTOR TO SUBSTRATE OFFSET DETECTION AND CORRECTION - A port door providing an interface into a processing tool is provided. The port door includes first and second arms pivotably mounted on a top edge of the port door. The first and second arms are configured to extend from a plane of the port door towards a carrier containing substrates for the processing tool. The first arm has an emitter transmitting a beam that is split into a plurality of sub-beams within the first arm. The second arm has a plurality of sensors receiving corresponding sub-beams, wherein one of sub-beams provides information as to a position of an end effector relative to a gap between the substrates in the carrier. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100040438 | System and Method for Transferring Packaged Semiconductors Between Storage Mediums - Systems and methods are disclosed that can be employed in transferring a plurality of packaged semiconductors. The system comprises a first input station configured to receive one or more storage mediums of a first type configured to store packaged semiconductors. A second input station is configured to receive one or more storage mediums of a second type configured to store packaged semiconductors. A differential pressure supply provides a differential pressure that moves packaged semiconductors between a given storage medium of the first type and a given storage medium of the second type. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100054897 | REDUCED CAPACITY CARRIER, TRANSPORT, LOAD PORT, BUFFER SYSTEM - A semiconductor workpiece processing system having at least one processing apparatus for processing workpieces, a primary transport system, a secondary transport system and one or more interfaces between first transport system and second transport system. The primary and secondary transport systems each have one or more sections of substantially constant velocity and in queue sections communicating with the constant velocity sections. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100068009 | VACUUM PROCESSING APPARATUS - A vacuum processing apparatus includes a plurality of vacuum containers; a vacuumized transfer unit connected with the vacuum containers and having a transfer chamber; a plurality of lock chambers connected to the vacuumized transfer unit; a vacuumized transferring section arranged in the transfer chamber to transfer the sample between each of the lock chambers and each of the processing chambers inside the plurality of vacuum containers; an atmospheric transfer container having a space through which the sample is transferred under the atmospheric pressure; an atmospheric transfer unit arranged in the atmospheric transfer container and adapted to transfer the sample from a cassette; and a controller operative on the basis of schedule information of a plurality of operations to adjust the operations, the information including times of stagnation of the plurality of samples and set therefor. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100080671 | SETUP METHOD OF SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A setup method of a substrate processing apparatus comprises: connecting a test terminal, which includes a pseudo comprehensive control unit and a second operation unit, to a plurality of process furnace control units, with the process furnace control units being separated from the comprehensive control unit and a first operation unit; transmitting a process furnace test operation command from the second operation unit to the plurality of process furnace control units through the pseudo comprehensive control unit; testing operations of a plurality of process furnaces in parallel by the plurality of process furnace control units receiving the process furnace test operation command; and transmitting a process furnace test operation report from the plurality of process furnace control units to the second operation unit through the pseudo comprehensive control unit. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100135753 | LOAD PORT - A load port is disclosed which allows a wafer to be transferred between the inside of a FOUP and the inside of a semiconductor fabrication apparatus even during a purge operation. The load port is provided adjacent the semiconductor fabrication apparatus in a clean room and includes a purge stage having a purge port through which a gas atmosphere in the FOUP is replaced into nitrogen gas or dry air, an opener stage provided in a juxtaposed relationship with the purge stage and having an opening communicating with the inside of the semiconductor fabrication apparatus and a door section capable of opening and closing the opening, and a moving mechanism for moving the FOUP between the purge stage and the opener stage. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100143081 | Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and method - A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a load port supporting a FOUP holding a plurality of wafers, a process module performing a semiconductor manufacturing process on the plurality of wafers, an equipment front end module disposed between the load port and the process module, providing a clean area, and including an opener for opening and closing a door of the FOUP, a transfer module sequentially transferring the plurality of wafers between the FOUP and the process module, and a purge module spraying a purge gas toward the plurality of wafers in the FOUP when the door is open to connect the equipment front end module and the FOUP, so as to make gases released from the plurality of wafers be recovered into the equipment front end module. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100226737 | SUBSTRATE TRANSFER APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE TRANSFER METHOD - A substrate transfer apparatus that transfers a substrate with respect to a processing apparatus includes a substrate accommodation unit for accommodating a plurality of substrates to be loaded into the processing apparatus in a vertical direction in a multi-stage; a substrate accommodation unit for accommodating a plurality of substrates unloaded from the processing apparatus in a vertical direction in a multi-stage; a substrate holder for transferring the substrates from the substrate accommodation unit to the processing apparatus; a substrate holder for transferring the substrates from the processing apparatus to the substrate accommodation unit. The substrate accommodation unit has an elevating mechanism for moving at least one of the substrate and the substrate holder in a vertical direction relative to each other and the substrate accommodation unit has an elevating mechanism for moving at least one of the substrate and the substrate holder in a vertical direction relative to each other. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100316467 | SUBSTRATE STORAGE FACILITY - A substrate storage facility comprises a multilevel shelf, on which a plurality of cassettes with airtight covers accommodating a plurality of substrates can be placed; a substrate transport portion, moveably positioned on the front-face side of the multilevel shelf, which opens and closes the airtight covers of the cassettes with airtight covers placed on the multilevel shelf, and which transports the substrates between cassettes with airtight covers; and, a cassette transport portion, moveably positioned on the rear-face side of the multilevel shelf, which carries cassettes with airtight covers into and out of all the cassette placement positions of the multilevel shelf. By means of this substrate storage facility, interchange processing of substrates accommodated in cassettes, as well as carrying in and out of cassettes when appropriate, can be performed. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20110014016 | Equipment Storage for Substrate Processing Apparatus - A substrate processing apparatus has a frame and a load port connected to the frame and adapted to mate a substrate transport container to the frame. The apparatus has transportable storage that is adapted to be removably connected to the frame and fit beneath the load port. The storage may be an enclosure housing electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical devices of the substrate processing apparatus. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110070055 | LOAD PORT APPARATUS AND DUST EXHAUST METHOD FOR LOAD PORT APPARATUS - In a load port apparatus, a door driving mechanism that supports a door through a communication opening portion leading to a mini-environment is housed in a housing chamber that is in communication with the mini-environment through the communication opening portion. Exhaust opening portions are provided in the upper portion of a wall of the housing chamber that is opposed to the communication opening portion and a bottom wall of the housing chamber. Thus, gas passages from the mini-environment to the housing chamber and then to the external space are formed. Thus, dust in the load port apparatus is removed. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110176893 | VACUUM PROCESSING APPARATUS - A vacuum processing apparatus includes a transfer container for transferring a wafer in the internal space thereof reduced in pressure, a vacuum vessel coupled to the side wall of the vacuum vessel and including a processing chamber having a sample stage therein on which a wafer to be processed is mounted, a lid member opened or closed by rotation above the vacuum vessel, an inner chamber member arranged in the vacuum vessel and making up the inner wall of the processing chamber, and a jig coupled to the side wall of the vacuum vessel to lift and hold the inner chamber member by being coupled thereto. The jig includes a first joint portion having vertical and horizontal shafts, an extensible arm portion rotatable around each shaft of the first joint portion, and a second joint portion with the inner chamber member adapted to rotate around the horizontal axis thereof. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110299962 | Vacuum Processing Apparatus And Vacuum Processing Method - A vacuum processing apparatus includes vacuum processing chambers for subjecting a sample to vacuum processing, a vacuum carriage, a switchable chamber, a cassette support for supporting a plurality of cassettes capable of housing samples, and a waiting cassette support for supporting a waiting cassette that differs from the cassettes supported on the cassette support and capable of having a number of samples. An atmospheric carriage enables carrying a sample among a given cassette of the plurality of cassettes or the waiting cassette. A controller effects control for carrying unprocessed and processed samples among the given cassette, the waiting cassette and the vacuum processing chamber, so that a mixture of both processed and unprocessed samples does not exist in the given cassette or the waiting cassette. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110305543 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A substrate processing apparatus includes a holder configured to hold a substrate and carry the substrate into a process chamber, a waiting station located outside the process chamber in which the holder waits prior to carrying the substrate into the process chamber, a circulation path configured to circulate a gas throughout the waiting station, and an exhaust path formed in the circulation path and configured to exhaust the gas from the waiting station. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110318143 | VACUUM PROCESSING APPARATUS - A vacuum processing apparatus includes a first lock chamber and a second lock chamber coupled to a back face side of the atmospheric transfer chamber in parallel, a first transfer chamber coupled to a rear side of the first lock chamber, a second transfer chamber coupled, on the rear side of the first transfer chamber, a third transfer chamber coupled to the rear side of the second lock chamber, a first and a second relay chamber disposed between the first transfer chamber/the second transfer chamber and the first transfer chamber/the third transfer chamber to transfer a wafer between these chambers, and a plurality of processing chambers coupled to either the first, the second or the third transfer chamber, in addition, the number of the processing chambers coupled to the second transfer chamber is greater than that of the processing chambers coupled to either the first or the third transfer chamber, and the wafer alone processed in the processing chamber coupled to either the first or the second transfer chamber is transferred to the third robot in the second relay chamber. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120099949 | APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A ROTATION CARRIER MAGAZINE, AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - An apparatus for supporting a plurality of carriers or substrates is described. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber and a rotatable support for supporting the plurality of carriers or substrates, wherein the support is provided within the vacuum chamber and is configured for rotating the supported plurality of carriers or substrates around a rotation axis. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120141235 | DUAL ARM ROBOT - A substrate processing apparatus including a frame, a first arm coupled to the frame at a shoulder axis having a first upper arm, a first forearm and at least one substrate holder serially and rotatably coupled to each other, a second arm coupled to the frame at the shoulder axis where shoulder axes of rotation of the arms are substantially coincident, the second arm having a second upper arm, a second forearm and at least one substrate holder serially and rotatably coupled to each other, and a drive section connected to the frame and coupled to the arms, the drive section being configured to independently extend and rotate each arm where an axis of extension of the first arm is angled relative to an axis of extension of the second arm substantially at each angular position of at least one of the first arm or the second arm. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20130183122 | WAFER TRANSPORT APPARATUS - The wafer transport apparatus prevents contaminant deposited on an unprocessed wafer from adhering to a processed wafer. Carrying-in load port | 07-18-2013 |
| 20140044505 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A bypass route is provided in order to transfer a substrate without passing through the atmospheric pressure transfer chamber, that is, a loader module, from a load lock chamber to a storage. In the bypass route, a sub-transfer unit for transferring the processed substrate from the load lock chamber to the storage is provided. The sub-transfer unit transfers the processed substrate from the load lock chamber to the storage, and a main transfer unit of the loader module returns the processed substrate from the storage to a transport container on holding stage. | 02-13-2014 |
| 20140112739 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS, PURGING APPARATUS, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing vessel configured to process a substrate; a first purging part configured to perform a first purge to supply inert gas at a first flow rate into a substrate container accommodating the substrate; and a second purging part configured to perform a second purge to supply inert gas at a second flow rate into the substrate container, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate. | 04-24-2014 |
| 20140161571 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A substrate processing apparatus having a plurality of processing modules connected to the substrate transfer chamber and including first and second processing modules configured to perform different types of processing. The apparatus also includes a substrate transfer mechanism performing a carry-in operation of an unprocessed substrate into the substrate transfer chamber, a carry-out operation and a transfer of the substrate between the modules, a dummy substrate holder configured to hold a plurality of dummy substrates, and a control part configured to perform an operation of continuously carrying the dummy substrates from the dummy substrate holder into the first processing module when a waiting time for which the first processing module waits for carry-in of the substrate exceeds a predetermined setting time. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140271053 | PRESSURE-CONTROLLED WAFER CARRIER AND WAFER TRANSPORT SYSTEM - Disclosed are a wafer carrier that keeps wafers under a constant pressure, at any preset value below or above the atmospheric pressure, to prevent wafer contaminations arising from atmospheric exposure in conventional wafer carriers, and also, a wafer transport system and method utilizing the same wafer carrier. The wafer carrier charged with a preset carrier pressure is transported and docked with an airlock of a wafer processing tool comprising the airlock, a vacuum transfer module, and a process chamber. The airlock adjusts, by a gas pump, inner pressure to equate successively with, first, the carrier pressure before opening the carrier door, and next, the vacuum transfer module pressure before opening the latter's door. The wafers are then transferred into the process chamber. After processing, the wafers are transferred back into the wafer carrier and charged with the preset carrier pressure before undocked and transported to the next wafer processing tool. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140271054 | MULTI-POSITION BATCH LOAD LOCK APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS INCLUDING SAME - Various embodiments of batch load lock apparatus are disclosed. The batch load lock apparatus includes a load lock body including first and second load lock openings, a lift assembly within the load lock body, the lift assembly including multiple wafer stations, each of the multiple wafer stations adapted to provide access to wafers through the first and second load lock openings, wherein the batch load lock apparatus includes temperature control capability (e.g., heating or cooling). Batch load lock apparatus is capable of transferring batches of wafers into and out of various processing chambers. Systems including the batch load lock apparatus and methods of operating the batch load lock apparatus are also provided, as are numerous other aspects. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140286733 | LOAD PORT AND EFEM - There is provided a device capable of effectively increasing the number of wafers that is conveyed inside a wafer transport chamber and capable of improving the wafer conveyance processing capacity if an EFEM is used, without leading to a marked increase in installation area. A load port includes: a plurality of levels of loading tables are provided in the height direction; and wafers housed inside FOUP on top of each loading table is inserted into and removed from inside wafer transport chambers, in a state wherein each loading table is arranged at a wafer insertion/removal position on the front surface of the wafer transport chambers. The loading tables includes a transport mechanism that moves wafers forward and back in the front/rear direction, between a FOUP passing/receiving position at which the FOUP are handed over to a FOUP transport device and the wafer insertion/removal position. | 09-25-2014 |
| 20140369791 | Substrate processing device - A substrate processing device contains a substrate loading/unloading area for loading/unloading of substrates. The substrate processing device further has a process chamber, a carrier device with which the substrates are transported by a carrier transport device to the process chamber, and a gas-tight closing device between the process chamber and the carrier transport area as well as a gas-tight closing device between the substrate loading/unloading area and the carrier transport area. The substrate processing device allows substrate processing at a high quality with high process purity, thereby being suitable for mass production. The object is achieved by the substrate loading/unloading area being coupled with the carrier transport area by a substrate transfer area with a substrate transfer device for transferring the substrates from a substrate cassette provided in the substrate loading/unloading area and in which substrates can be arranged in different horizontal cassette levels of the substrate cassette. | 12-18-2014 |
| 20150030416 | STORAGE CONTAINER, SHUTTER OPENING/CLOSING UNIT OF STORAGE CONTAINER, AND WAFER STOCKER USING STORAGE CONTAINER AND SHUTTER OPENING/CLOSING UNIT - Provided is a wafer stocker that can prevent the inflow of an external atmosphere, maintain a wafer storage space at a desired atmosphere with a relatively small amount of gas, and prevent dust from being attached to a wafer surface. A shutter portion, including multiple shield plates having the same height as an interval between shelf plates disposed in a storage container, is disposed with a slight space from a body portion, and by supplying clean gas into the storage container, a clean atmosphere of a higher pressure than an external environment is maintained, and a shutter portion is opened and closed by moving up and down the shield plate independently from the shelf plate that supports a wafer. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150071739 | EFEM | 03-12-2015 |
| 20150117986 | MECHANISMS FOR CHRAGING GAS INTO CASSETTE POD - Embodiments of mechanisms for charging a gas into a cassette pod are provided. A method for charging a gas into a cassette pod includes loading at least one semiconductor wafer into a housing of the cassette pod after the at least one semiconductor wafer is processed by a processing apparatus. The method also includes removing the cassette pod from the processing apparatus by a transporting apparatus to a predetermined destination. The method further includes charging a gas into an enclosure in the housing of the cassette pod from a gas supply assembly disposed on the housing. | 04-30-2015 |
| 20150125238 | CONVEYANCE DEVICE AND SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM - A conveyance device, which conveys wafers in a casing | 05-07-2015 |
| 20150294888 | EFEM SYSTEM AND LID OPENING/CLOSING METHOD - An object is to prevent down flow gas from entering into a pod in an open state in an EFEM system. An upper canopy is provided along the upper edge of an opening portion on the mini-environment side to block down flow along the opening portion. The upper canopy provides a space in which inert gas supplied through a supply port provided in the pod flows into the mini-environment through the opening of the pod after circulating inside the pod. The down flow has no effect in this space, and the entrance of down flow into the pod can be prevented. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20160379858 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A space needed to transfer a substrate container is decreased. A substrate processing apparatus includes a locating part where a substrate container accommodating a substrate is located; a driving unit configured to drive the locating part vertically; a transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate container; and a controller configured to control the driving unit and the transfer robot to move the locating part downward after the transfer robot moves to under the locating part to transfer the substrate container from the locating part to the transfer robot. | 12-29-2016 |
| 20190148200 | LOADING APPARATUS AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF | 05-16-2019 |
