Abstract: A storage apparatus for objects in the manufacture of substrates, in particular of substrates for electronic components, is provided with a housing which forms at least one closed area for storage of the objects. The storage apparatus also has a pure air device by which a pure air atmosphere can be produced at least within a section of the housing. Using at least one input/output device for the storage apparatus, objects can be passed into the interior of the housing or removed from the interior, in which case the objects can be handled by at least one handling device in the interior of the housing, and object receptacles are provided within the housing, in which objects can be temporarily stored outside transport containers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for storing platelike substrates, particularly wafers or test wafers, like those, in particular, used for manufacturing electronic components. The aim of the invention is to make a reliable access to the substrates possible even when storage elements, which can be separated from one another, of the device are affected by manufacturing mistakes. For such a device that, for each substrate, has a number of storage elements, which follow one another in a direction of stacking and which can move relative to one another, in which the storage elements have a stacking area, which is provided for placing the respective storage element inside a stack of storage elements, compensating means are therefore provided in order to compensate for stacking errors in the direction of stacking.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for storing platelike substrates, particularly wafers or test wafers, like those, in particular, used for manufacturing electronic components. The aim of the invention is to make a reliable access to the substrates possible even when storage elements, which can be separated from one another, of the device are affected by manufacturing mistakes. For such a device that, for each substrate, has a number of storage elements, which follow one another in a direction of stacking and which can move relative to one another, in which the storage elements have a stacking area, which is provided for placing the respective storage element inside a stack of storage elements, compensating means are therefore provided in order to compensate for stacking errors in the direction of stacking.

Abstract: To make possible a tightly packed, essentially horizontal storage of wafers (40), in which a simplified access to each of these wafers (40) is possible, a device is provided having a plurality of superimposed storage elements (10). The storage elements (10) have device features (16) for depositing the wafers (40). The storage elements (10) have projections (14) for lifting, whereby a specific storage element (10a) as well as all storage elements (10) arranged above this specific storage element (10a) can be lifted by a predetermined first height for producing a contact gap. The projections (14) can also be used to lift the storage element (10b) arranged below the said storage element (10a) by a predetermined second height for producing a freedom of access.

Abstract: A device for aligning a plurality of vertically arranged (upright) disks (20), especially wafer disks during the fabrication of semiconductor chips. Two mounting or bearing elements (30, 32) respectively have individually mounted guide rollers (34) positioned next to each other for each disk position. A drive device (40, 42; 50, 60; 240, 242) is for rotating the disks in relation to their azimuthal positions. A device (80) is provided for detecting the azimuthal positions of notches or indentations (22) arranged in the outer circumference in the disks (20). A device is provided for controlling the drive with the signals of the detection device (80) for detecting the azimuthal positions of the notches (22). The drive for rotating the disks in relation to their azimuthal positions has an individually driven drive roller element (42) for each disk (20) mounted on the stationary axis.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for handling individual wafers (2) that are temporarily in an essentially horizontal position. The apparatus (1) comprises at least one supporting part (5) with supporting areas (6), comprising at least three supporting points (9), for supporting an edge region of the wafer, and at least one holding part (7) with holding areas (8), comprising at least two holding points (10), for gripping the edge (4) of this wafer (2), with the holding points (10) being moveable relative to the supporting points (9) and, to grasp the wafer (2), relative to one another. Moreover, at least one of these holding points (10) is arranged on a rotatable rod (12) designed, for reliable holding of the wafer, as a holding part (7), with rod (12) extending coaxially with an axis (11) running through the wafer center (3) and essentially parallel to the surface of the wafer (2).

Abstract: A transfer device for wafers stacked in magazines has a vertically displaceable frame of a platform, with which the cover of the box surrounding the magazine in the closed condition. The magazine remains in the original position on the base of the box and is then supplied by a gripping device from this position to a processing system in which the wafers are removed from the magazine and are processed. A gripping device preferably has two extension arms arranged on both sides of the magazine as well as one stop element which can be caused to impact on the wafer edges. The stop element preferably has two lips consisting of an elastic material which lips can be caused to impact on the wafer edges. The device permits a very fast loading and unloading into or out of the processing system.