Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for etching, ashing, or otherwise processing silicon wafers has a pair of spaced reaction chambers each for processing a silicon wafers in a plasma, a pair of spaced cassette table mechanisms each for supporting a wafer cassette which houses a plurality of wafers therein, and a transfer robot disposed between the pair of spaced reaction chambers and the pair of spaced cassette table mechanisms, for transferring the wafers, one at a time, between the wafer cassette supported by one of the workpiece table mechanisms and one of the reaction chambers. Each of the cassette table mechanisms has a turntable for placing the wafer thereon, the turntable being rotatable to orient the wafer cassette out of physical interference with the robot arm of the transfer robot.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a substrate processing method has (a) the step of predetermining initial conditions for cassettes and substrates before processing is started, (b) the step of setting the cassettes in which the substrates are stored, in the loading/unloading section on the basis of the initial conditions, (c) the step of detecting the states of the cassettes set in the loading/unloading section and checking, on the basis of the detection results, whether the cassettes are set in the states set in the step (a), (d) the step of displaying the states of the cassettes when it is determined in the step (c) that the state of at least one cassette is not the state set in the step (a), (e) the step of resetting the cassette in the state set in the step (a) on the basis of the display in the step (d), (f) the step of detecting the substrates which are present in the cassettes set in the loading/unloading section and obtaining mapping data on the basis of the detection results, (g) the step of select

Abstract: The present invention refers to a wafer transfer robot for a wafer boat of a wafer processing apparatus wherein a turntable within a chamber of a turntable apparatus is provided with a prescribed number of stations formed thereon. Each of the stations is provided with protrusions that hold a wafer cassette that is transferred thereto and orientated thereon in such a manner that a base surface thereof is inclined at an angle to the outward direction. Although, while the wafer cassette is being transferred and orientated, it is transferred and orientated reliably with the base surface thereof held horizontal by an elevator apparatus. By providing a loadlock chamber of a rotational configuration, the apparatus of the present invention ensures good sealing, and also ensures that when regions within the apparatus are being evacuated or being filled with an inert gas, they are kept reliably airtight.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing system for processing wafers from a wafer storage cassette includes a wafer transfer chamber; a wafer storage elevator within the transfer chamber; one or more wafer processing chambers; and a wafer transfer apparatus for transferring a wafer between a standard storage cassette adjacent and outside the transfer chamber and the elevator, and between the elevator and the processing chamber. The storage chamber pressure varies between atmospheric when accepting wafers from outside, and a subatmospheric pressure when transferring wafers to or from a processing chamber. The transfer apparatus includes a robot arm; a thin flat wafer carrying blade at the leading end of the robot arm configured for engaging a wafer from the storage cassette or the elevator; and a wafer support tray configured for removable engagement with the blade and for engaging and positively positioning a wafer from the elevator, or a support pedestal within a processing chamber.

Abstract: A vacuum treating apparatus having a vacuum treating chamber for treating a to-be-treated substrate in vacuum, includes a plurality of substrate cassettes which are installed in the open air and hold substrates that are to be conveyed into the vacuum treating chamber, a device for conveying the substrates between the substrate cassettes and the vacuum treating chamber, and a device which selects either that the to-be-treated substrate after treated in the vacuum treating chamber be held in the substrate cassette from which the to-be-treated substrate was taken out or that the to-be-treated substrate after treated in the vacuum treating chamber be held in another substrate cassette which is different from the substrate cassette.

Abstract: Glass substrates suitable for thin film processing can be batch heated to processing temperatures and batch cooled after processing by radiant heating and cooling in a vacuum chamber. The heating and/or cooling chamber is fitted with a cassette including heat conductive shelves that can be heated or cooled, interleaved by the glass substrates mounted on supports so that a gap exists between the shelves and the substrates. As the shelves provide heating or cooling, the glass substrates are radiantly heated or cooled by the shelves, thereby providing uniform heating or cooling of the glass substrates so as to avoid damage or warpage of the substrates. A vacuum system for processing the substrates includes batch-type heating and cooling of the substrates using the chambers of the invention in combination with one-at-a-time film processing chambers that can deposit one or more thin films on the substrates.

Abstract: A SMIF system for transferring semiconductor wafers between two controlled environments, one being within a wafer cassette carrier and the other being within an enclosure around a wafer processing apparatus. In a carrier loading position, a carrier door rests on a port door which forms part of a platform for vertically fixing and horizontally moving the cassette within the enclosure. A carrier cover, when unlocked from the carrier door, is engageable by a port plate for vertical movement therewith as an elevator mechanism moves the port plate between down and up positions. In the down position, the port door closes an enclosure opening defined by the port plate. In the up position, the port plate raises the carrier cover to allow access to the wafers in the cassette by an article processing apparatus. External and internal panels carried by the port plate cause the controlled environment of the enclosure to be extended to include a compartment containing the uncovered cassette.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting focus spots. Data from a file created during stepper operation is extracted to get field coordinate position, leveling scheme, and tilt with respect to the x- and y-axes, and wafer height with respect to the focal plane for the multiple fields on the multiple wafers in a production batch. A delta value is calculated for the x- and y-axes tilt data which averages the tilt of each field with its surrounding fields. Delta values are placed in a 3-dimensional data structure linking neighboring fields and corresponding fields on subsequent wafers. Focus spots are detected by the repeated presence of data spikes over the sum of the arithmetic mean and some multiple of the standard deviation of the delta values.

Abstract: A stage assembly for a substrate processing system including a cassette support assembly for receiving and supporting a cassette and an actuation and support assembly for supporting and moving the cassette and cassette support assembly between a loading position and a processing position. The processing position provides convenient and efficient access by a central processing system, and the loading position preferably places each cassette closer to, and aligned with, a front panel of the processing system for convenient access by an operator. The actuator and support assembly preferably includes a frame assembly and a rotating plate pivotally mounted to the frame assembly, where the cassette support assembly is mounted to the rotating plate for pivoting relative to the frame assembly. An actuator assembly mounted to the frame assembly flits the cassette support assembly between the loading and processing positions. A shaft assembly pivotally mounts the cassette support assembly to the rotating plate.

Abstract: A substrate processing method includes the steps of accommodating a plurality of substrates within a carrier, where the carrier has a bottom that is open and has a function of stopping inclination of the substrates, transporting the substrates and the carrier to a processing chamber by a transport mechanism having a function of supporting weights of the substrates, and carrying out a process on the substrates within the processing chamber.

Abstract: A system is provided for batch loading semiconductor wafers into a load lock from a portable carrier, for example, used for supporting and transporting a plurality of the wafers in spaced, stacked, relationship. The carrier is supported adjacent a chamber within the load lock. A multilevel end effector associated with the load lock chamber includes a plurality of spaced end effector sets, each set being adapted to support a wafer thereon and aligned with an associated wafer supported in the carrier. The plurality of wafers are engaged and simultaneously retrieved as a grouping, then held in the load lock chamber for subsequent transport, for example, one at a time, into an adjacent transport chamber for delivery to a specified one of a plurality of processing stations. A mini-environment may sealingly isolate the load lock chamber and the interior of the carrier from the surrounding atmosphere.

Abstract: A plate-like object carrier device comprising plural arms arranged at a same pitch interval to horizontally support a wafer on each of the arms, a first motor for driving a single arm forward and backward and independently of a group of arms, a second motor for driving the group of arms forward and backward at the same time except the single arm, a power supply for supplying power to the first and second motors, and a controller for selecting whether to supply power only to the first motor or both of the first and second motors.

Abstract: A wafer transfer system is operable with a front or side loading wafer carrier to move one or more wafers in a straight line from the carrier to a position in which the wafers are accessible for further processing by movement along the same straight line. The transfer system provides a wafer extractor which employs a plurality of paired fingers of a size and configuration to fit between the spaced, stacked wafers in the carrier. After insertion between the wafers, the fingers are movable by a small amount vertically to lift the wafers off the shoulders of the carrier. The fingers, now supporting the wafers, are movable generally horizontally along a straight line to remove the wafers from the carrier. The fingers are supported from a support structure in a manner which provides clearance for the wafers to pass through the support structure for further processing along the same straight line path.

Abstract: A non-vacuum semiconductor pick-up and transfer apparatus for handling semiconductor wafers. A flat tapered blade, with front and rear arcuate abutment surfaces adapted to hold a wafer, is provided. In use the blade is thrust between spaced wafers supported in a holder, lifted to retain the wafer between the abutment surfaces, and removed from the holder. The thin and tapered blade shape minimizes damage to the associated wafers in the event of a misalignment of the blade with the wafers.

Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus having a movable arm assembly, two substrate holders and a coaxial drive shaft assembly. The movable arm assembly has a general X-shaped section that has its center connected to the coaxial drive shaft assembly. The substrate holders are connected to different pairs of arm sections of the X-shaped section. The coaxial drive shaft assembly moves the arms of the X-shaped section relative to each other to move the two substrate holders in reverse unison motion between extended and retracted positions.

Abstract: In a vertical heat treatment apparatus, a transfer apparatus is used to transfer a wafer between a wafer carrier and a wafer boat. The transfer apparatus comprises a base unit, a fork, three non-contact type sensors, and a main controller. The base unit can move between a first position at which to transfer the wafer to and from the wafer carrier and a second position at which to transfer the wafer to and from the wafer boat. The fork can move back and forth with respect to the base unit, for supporting the wafer. The non-contact type sensors are mounted on the fork, for detecting the position of the wafer. The main controller controls the base unit and the fork in accordance with the data detected by the non-contact type sensors.

Abstract: A device for handling disk-shaped objects in a handling plane of a local clean room has the object of ensuring process steps preceding or following the processing and inspection of the disk-shaped objects under the conditions of a local clean room with the use of SMIF boxes. The handling plane (H--H) is in a fixed constructional relationship with a reference plane (E--E) of at least one device comprising the magazine seat as a component part, which device serves to index the shelves of magazines and disk-shaped objects contained therein and is arranged above an intermediate base dividing the clean room into two partial spaces located one above the other, in which an air flow component of an air flow is directed from the partial space above the intermediate base into the partial space below the intermediate base. The device can be used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, particularly for handling tasks.

Abstract: A measurement station which rotates a wafer in a vertical plane and moves a scanning sensor linearly along an axis which is parallel to the wafer rotation plane, thus providing a spiral, or other, scan path across the wafer. The vertical orientation reduces errors from weight induced sagging, especially of large, e.g. 300 mm wafers. The measurement station includes wafer grippers which move in the wafer's plane for securing the wafer in position for rotation. The measurement station also includes master calibration gauges which simplify calibration and obviate the need for calibration test wafers. A technique for reducing vibration and assuring scan repeatability includes coasting of the wafer in rotation and coordinated linear probe motions for scanning. Probe measurement data obtained is digitized early and calibration, demodulation, filtering and other processing is done digitally.

Abstract: An apparatus including a structure which separates a first transport robot (high temperature robot), which accesses a first processing part group including the thermal processing parts, from a second transport robot (low temperature robot) which accesses the only non-thermal processing parts. During circulating transportation of substrates to be processed, heat created at thermal processing parts is prevented from flowing into non-thermal processing parts. Semiconductor wafers are circulated one by one between the first processing part group which includes a hot plate and a second processing part group which does not include a hot plate and processed one at a time at each processing part. The high temperature robot accesses the first processing part group while the low temperature robot accesses the second processing part group. Transfer of a semiconductor wafer between the two robots is performed at a transfer part which is formed using a cool plate.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber, a non-reaction chamber which is a load-lock chamber or a double load-lock chamber. A double arm is accommodated in the non-reaction chamber, and includes a first arm and a second arm for taking out a processed wafer from the reaction chamber and supplying an unprocessed wafer to the reaction chamber. Wafer elevating mechanisms are provided in the reaction chamber and the non-reaction chamber. The double arm and the wafer elevating mechanisms are driven by a single drive source. Also, a selective engagement mechanism is provided at the reaction chamber and at the non-reaction chamber for selectively engaging the driving source with any one of the wafer elevating mechanisms at the reaction chamber and the non-reaction chamber to drive the double arm and the wafer elevating mechanism at the selected chamber.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing system for processing wafers from a wafer storage cassette includes a wafer transfer chamber; a wafer storage elevator within the transfer chamber; one or more wafer processing chambers; and a wafer transfer apparatus for transferring a wafer between a standard storage cassette adjacent and outside the transfer chamber and the elevator, and between the elevator and the processing chamber. The storage chamber pressure varies between atmospheric when accepting wafers from outside, and a subatmospheric pressure when transferring wafers to or from a processing chamber. The transfer apparatus includes a robot arm; a thin flat wafer carrying blade at the leading end of the robot arm configured for engaging a wafer from the storage cassette or the elevator; and a wafer support tray configured for removable engagement with the blade and for engaging and positively positioning a wafer from the elevator, or a support pedestal within a processing chamber.

Abstract: A load lock interface for a semiconductor wafer process chamber includes a platform adapted to receive and engage with a carrier containing a cassette of semiconductor wafers; and a removable bell-shaped enclosure adapted to surround and seal said carrier from the ambient environment while the carrier is engaged with the load lock interface platform. Once engaged with the carrier, the platform is operable to withdraw the cassette of wafers from the carrier and position the cassette within a load lock. Thereafter, the cassette may be indexed and individual wafers may be removed from the cassette for processing within the process chamber.

Abstract: A wafer transfer device for transferring wafers between a wafer boat having a plurality of ring-shaped support plates arranged one above another, and a cassette capable of supporting semiconductor wafers at different levels. The support plates have a hole in a center portion and define a vertical passage. Wafers are carried in a horizontal direction between the boat and the cassette by a carrying mechanism having at least two forks. A movable push-up disk is moved up and down through the passage by a drive device. The extension member extends through the passage and has an upper end portion supporting the push-up disk and a lower end portion connected to the drive device and located below a lowermost one of the support plates. A controller controls the carrying mechanism and the push-up disk in interlock fashion.

Abstract: A wafer transfer system is operable with a front or side loading wafer carrier to move one or more horizontally oriented wafers out of the carrier and to rotate the wafers to a vertical orientation in which the wafers are accessible for further processing. The transfer system provides a wafer extractor which employs a plurality of paired fingers of a size and configuration to fit between the spaced, stacked wafers in the carrier for lifting the wafers off the shoulders of the carrier. The fingers are then movable generally horizontally to remove the wafers from the carrier into two angled combs having ledges for receiving wafers. The fingers and combs are rotated to a vertical orientation in which the wafers are supported along their edges by the combs. The fingers are shifted horizontally a small amount relative to the combs to disengage from the wafers, either by a translation following the rotation or by rotating the fingers and combs about different axes.

Abstract: An auxiliary compact disc storage case includes a housing knowing opposed ledges for receiving a plurality of compact discs one above the other. Two opposed sides of the housing are open and pivotally mounted in one of the openings is a pushing plate. The housing carries hinge members arranged to connect it to complementary formations on a compact disc storage magazine. The pushing plate may be rotated into contact with all the compact discs within the housing and thus pushes all of them out of the housing simultaneously into the storage compartments of a compact disc storage magazine forming part of a compact disc auto changer.

Abstract: A system is provided for batch loading semiconductor wafers into a load lock from a portable carrier used for supporting a plurality of the wafers in spaced relationship and transporting them in a particle free environment. The carrier is supported adjacent a load lock chamber also having a particle free environment. A multilevel end effector associated with the load lock chamber includes a plurality of spaced end effector sets, each set being adapted to support a wafer thereon and aligned with an associated wafer supported in the carrier. The plurality of wafers are engaged and simultaneously retrieved as a grouping, then held in the load lock chamber for subsequent transport, one at a time, into an adjacent transport chamber for delivery to a specified one of a plurality of processing stations. A mini-environment sealingly isolates the load lock chamber and the interior of the carrier from the surrounding atmosphere.

Abstract: An improved substrate processing system. The system may be used for double sided scrubbing of a semiconductor substrate. The wet stations of the system has covers which prevent accumulated liquid from dripping outside of the station and which minimize dripping on the substrates. Transport tunnels are provided between modules to prevent leakage between the modules. A substrate transport mechanism which is moveable along a rail is provided with the stabilizer to provide for stable substrate transfer. The processing system has two brush stations which are placed within a single enclosure. The sensors located throughout the system, which sense the presence of a wafer, are fixedly mounted in a frame so that they are self-aligned to one another. In the sender station, two sensors are used, with the system requiring both sensors to sense the presence of a wafer to increase the reliability. In the dry station, the heating lamp is shielded from the substrate to reduce particulate contamination.

Abstract: A wafer transfer apparatus capable of simultaneously transferring multiple semiconductor wafers to and from a furnace or similar columnar wafer station. The apparatus has a cantilevered extension which extends from a main part. The extension is preferably mounted for pivotal movement. The extension has a distal engagement head mounted thereon. The distal engagement head is moved between a lateral position and an upstanding engaging position. The engagement head has a plurality of wafer support features which support the far edges of a group of wafers. The near edges of the wafers are held by proximal wafer contact heads.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing system for processing wafers from a wafer storage cassette includes a wafer transfer chamber; a wafer storage elevator within the transfer chamber; one or more wafer processing chambers; and a wafer transfer apparatus for transferring a wafer between a standard storage cassette adjacent and outside the transfer chamber and the elevator, and between the elevator and the processing chamber. The storage chamber pressure varies between atmospheric when accepting wafers from outside, and a subatmospheric pressure when transferring wafers to or from a processing chamber. The transfer apparatus includes a robot arm; a thin flat wafer carrying blade at the leading end of the robot arm configured for engaging a wafer from the storage cassette or the elevator; and a wafer support tray configured for removable engagement with the blade and for engaging and positively positioning a wafer from the elevator, or a support pedestal within a processing chamber.

Abstract: The end effector of a frog-leg robot is raised and lowered by using walking-beams to effect a vertical movement of the fore arms at the elbow joint.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus according to this invention includes an interface section having a first transfer member for transferring an object from a coating process section for applying a process solution to the object in accordance with a single sheet process to an object holding member, and a moving member for detachably supplying a plurality of object holding member and simultaneously moving the plurality of object holding member, and a heat-treatment section having a second transfer member for transferring the object placed on the object holding member to a heat-treatment section for heat-treating the plurality of objects, which have undergone the coating process, in accordance with a batch process.

Abstract: A plate-like object carrier device comprising plural arms arranged at a same pitch interval to horizontally support a wafer on each of the arms, a first motor for driving a single arm forward and backward and independently of a group of arms, a second motor for driving the group of arms forward and backward at the same time except the single arm, a power supply for supplying power to the first and second motors, and a controller for selecting whether to supply power only to the first motor or both of the first and second motors.

Abstract: A treatment apparatus comprises a treatment chamber for performing a treatment for a workpiece W, a loading chamber connected to the treatment chamber, for loading and unloading a holding member which contains the workpiece into and from the treatment chamber, and an input/output chamber for inputting and outputting the workpiece to and from the loading chamber. The input/output chamber includes a cassette accommodating vessel port which holds a cassette accommodating vessel. The vessel is filled with clean air or an inert gas, and is airtightly closed. A cassette receiving mechanism is disposed below the port and lowers only the cassette of the vessel so as to receive the cassette. Thus, when the cassette is input and output to and from the outside of the treatment apparatus, the workpiece contained within the cassette is not exposed to the atmosphere in a working region. Consequently, it is not necessary to improve the cleanliness level of the atmosphere in the working region.

Abstract: A vacuum-process system comprising plural vacuum-process chambers in which substrates are processed in decompressed atmosphere, a first load lock chamber communicated with each of the vacuum-process chambers and exhausted to substantially same decompressed atmosphere as in the vacuum-process chambers, a second load lock chamber communicated with the first one and exhausted to substantially same atmosphere as in the first load lock chamber, a first carrier arranged in the first load lock chamber to carry the substrate between the first and the second load lock chamber, a first buffer assembly arranged in the first load lock chamber to temporarily hold plural substrates thereon, a second buffer assembly arranged in the second load lock chamber to temporarily hold plural substrates thereon, an assembly in the second load lock chamber to position single or plural substrates relative to their passage, and a second carrier arranged in normal atmosphere to carry plural substrates into and out of the second load lock

Abstract: In an article transporting system, a first linear moving arm and a second linear moving arm are juxtaposed to each other so as to be moved linearly while keeping a parallel positional relationship with each other. First end portions of the linear moving arms are coupled to an article transporting unit through first and second links. A linear drive mechanism is provided for linearly moving the article transporting unit in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the linear moving arms by the linear movement of the first and second linear moving arms. The first and second linear moving arms are synchronously linearly moved in opposite directions to each other. In this case, to avoid an unstable posture of the article transporting unit during the movement, a posture maintaining device is provided between one of the first and second linear moving arms and the article transporting unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor cassette and transfer system for facilitating the direct loading and unloading of wafers from different sides of a cassette by a first robot handling device moveable along a first extension axis and second robot handling device moveable along a second extension axis intersecting said first extension axis at an acute angle, and at a predetermined point concurrent with the center of the cassette as it is disposed in a fixed position within a loadlock chamber of a wafer processing apparatus.

Abstract: A load lock interface for a semiconductor wafer process chamber includes a platform adapted to receive and engage with a carrier containing a cassette of semiconductor wafers; and a removable bell-shaped enclosure adapted to surround and seal said carrier from the ambient environment while the carrier is engaged with the load lock interface platform. Once engaged with the carrier, the platform is operable to withdraw the cassette of wafers from the carrier and position the cassette within a load lock. Thereafter, the cassette may be indexed and individual wafers may be removed from the cassette for processing within the process chamber.

Abstract: The system according to the invention makes it possible to handle and transfer flat objects under an ultraclean atmosphere without using white rooms. It essentially comprises interfaces (5) making it possible to receive individual boxes (1), each of which contains a flat object, opening each box and feeding each flat object into a working station (6A). The system is completed by tunnels (4) making it possible to transfer the flat objects from one working station (6A, 6B) to another.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus in which LCD substrates are processed includes three process chambers. Each of the process chambers is connected to a first load lock chamber through a gate valve. A second load lock chamber is also connected to the first load lock chamber through a gate valve. The second load lock chamber is opposed to a carrier member, which is arranged in the atmosphere, through a gate valve. A carrier arm is arranged in the first load lock chamber to carry the substrates between each of the process chambers and the second load lock chamber. A buffer rack for supporting two substrates thereon and positioners for aligning the two substrates, which are supported on the buffer rack, simultaneously are arranged in the second load lock chamber.

Abstract: A holder mechanism tilts and rotates a vertically oriented wafer-loaded cassette for proper presentation in a horizontal orientation to the robotic arm of a workstation. The mechanism includes a cassette holder, a support member, and a motor. The cassette holder has first and second supports that define orthogonal first and second planes. In two embodiments, the support member connects the cassette holder to the motor shaft and, as the motor shaft rotates, the cassette holder is rotated about a single pivot axis that is oblique to the first and second planes. This rotation tilts a cassette placed in the holder through a tilt angle of about 45.degree. to 90.degree., and simultaneous rotates the cassette through an angle .theta. about the vertical axis. The support member shape determines whether tilting and rotation is away from or toward the motor, and also determines the angle of rotation .theta. and the tilt angle.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a system for storing and distributing flat objects to different working stations is provided. The system comprises storage modules (2), transportation or conveying modules (4, 4A) and distribution modules (5). All these modules are placed alongside one another to form a continuous chain. Each module has fixed or mobile rollers (7) constituting two superimposed displacement tracks for operating in two opposite directions. Portable racks (20) are also provided. Particular utility is found in storage and transportation of boxes containing silicon wafers.

Abstract: A high speed wafer processing apparatus employs two wafer transport robots to move wafers from two load locks past a processing station with gentle vacuum cycling and without pumpdown delays. Both robots alternately transport each wafer from the cassette at a single one of the load locks along a path from the cassette to a transfer position through the process station and back to the cassette, while pumpdown or venting of the other (second) load lock is carried out. They then transport the wafers from the second load lock through the process station. A wafer is "parked" at a transfer or orienting station, rather than handed over from robot to robot, so that the robots are not both tied up with a single wafer, and two or more wafers can move simultaneously along the path. Even for a fast ten second process time, work flow proceeds without interruption, periodic delay or dead time, and three to five minutes are available for venting, loading a new cassette and pumpdown.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers includes a load lock chamber with a first gate valve and a second gate valve so as to load and unload cassettes through the first gate valve, and to convey the wafers from the load lock chamber to a plurality of processing chambers through respective second valves. The load lock chamber is provided with a turntable which holds the plurality of cassettes. The turntable conveys each of the cassettes in front of respective ones of the second valves.

Abstract: A cassette carrier unit for carrying a cassette, in which a plurality of substrates are housed, into and out of cassette chambers of the multi-chamber system including a hand on which the cassette is mounted. A multi-joined arm for supports the swingable hand, and a base supports the multi-joined swingable arm. The multi-joined arm includes a first shaft member rotatably attached to the hand, a second shaft member rotatably attached to the base, a third shaft member rotated associating with the first shaft member but in a direction reverse to the direction in which the first shaft member is rotated, and a fourth shaft member rotatably attached to the base and to which rotation drive force is transmitted. A first arm is rotatably attached to the first shaft member at the front end thereof and to the second shaft member at the base end thereof.

Abstract: A container for storing a plurality of semiconductor wafers comprises two end walls and two side walls. The container has a main opening through which the wafers are inserted into or withdrawn from the container and a sub-opening through which a wafer counter approaches the wafers. A plurality of slots are formed in the container to hold the wafers one by one at intervals. Each slot includes a pair of grooves which are formed in inner surfaces of both the side walls, have a V-shaped cross-section, and which divergently open toward a central portion of the container. One surface of each groove serves as a supporting surface on which a wafer is disposed substantially horizontal when the container is positioned such that the reference plane is horizontal. The supporting surfaces of the pair of grooves have a pair of converging portions which converge toward the second opening.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus for semiconductor wafers is provided with a number, such as two, of heat treatment units which are arranged horizontally and which load wafer boats containing wafers from below. A wafer delivery section is provided to correspond to each of the two heat treatment units, and wafers are conveyed by a wafer transfer mechanism between the wafer delivery section and the heat treatment units. Carrier accommodation racks are provided in upper and lower positions across the two heat treatment units in such a manner that they can be used in common for both wafer delivery sections. The carrier transfer mechanism is provided in front of the two carrier accommodation racks in order to convey carriers containing wafers between carrier stages at front portions of the wafer heat treatment apparatus, the two carrier accommodation racks, and the two wafer delivery sections.

Abstract: The processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a processing chamber for providing a predetermined processing to a processing object, a transfer chamber having transfer arm for transferring a holding member holding the processing object to/from the processing chamber, inactive gas supply and exhaust pipe for maintaining the inside of the transfer chamber to be in a predetermined inactive gas atmosphere, a holding member containing chamber, provided adjacent to the transfer chamber, having a capacity being capable of containing at least the holding member, and being capable of transferring the holding member to/from the transfer chamber in a state that an atmosphere of the transfer chamber is isolated from outside air, inside atmosphere substituting control for providing substitution so as to set the inside of the holding member containing chamber to be in a vacuum atmosphere or a predetermined inactive gas atmosphere, and an processing object transfer chamber, provided to be adjacent to the holdin

Abstract: An apparatus for coating and developing a resist on a wafer comprises a carrier station provided with a plurality of carriers for receiving wafers and transfer tables, a processing section having a plurality of processing units, and a transfer robot provided between the carrier station and the processing section. The robot comprises a plate-shaped arm for transferring wafers between the carriers and the transfer tables, and two horseshoe-shaped forks for transferring wafers between the processing units and transfer tables. The robot is movable along a transfer path so as to make the arm and forks face the carriers, processing units and transfer tables.

Abstract: According to the invention, there is provided a substrate transferring apparatus for transferring substrates from a substrate transport container containing a plurality of substrates to be treated to a substrate holder for holding a plurality of substrates to be treated or vice versa, the apparatus including arms for supporting substrate, a supporting member for supporting the arms, and a drive arrangement for driving the supporting member to operate. Each of the arms include a plate shaped arm main body having a connecting section for connecting the arm to the drive arrangement, supporting sections having a thickness greater than that of the arm main body for supporting corresponding peripheral areas of the substrate, and stoppers having a thickness greater than that of the supporting sections for abutting lateral sides of the substrate to rigidly hold the substrate.

Abstract: A vacuum processing system of a type in which wafer cassettes each accommodating a plurality of wafers to be treated are supplied to deliver the wafers and wafer cassettes collecting the treated wafers are taken out. To enable the vacuum treatment, the vacuum processing system has a structure comprising:a plurality of wafer cassettes each being set in the atmospheric air and holding a plurality of wafers to be treated; at least one vacuum processing chamber for effecting vacuum treatment on the wafers; at least one load-lock chamber disposed between the cassettes and the vacuum processing chamber, the wafers being transferred into and out of vacuum atmosphere in the vacuum processing chamber through the load-lock chamber; and a wafer transfer device for transferring the wafers from each of the cassettes to the load-lock chamber and vice versa.