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: A cassette (2) or storage box for integrated circuit wafers or memory disks arranged and constructed for directly being placed onto the driven rollers (6) of contaminant free conveyors. The cassettes have a flat canted surface (10) for riding on the rollers. The cant is enough such that the loaded wafers lean against the sides of their individual pockets as the cassette travels. The leaning reduces damaged to the wafers by the vibrations involved with physically moving the cassette.

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.

Abstract: Disclosed is a wafer conveying system for a clean room which is high in wafer conveying efficiency, and makes it possible to achieve a variety of processing operations with high efficiency.

Abstract: A cassette input/output unit handles cassettes which contain semiconductor wafers or other substrates that are to be delivered to or withdrawn from a semiconductor processing system. The input/output unit includes a drawer front which rotates 90.degree. about a horizontal axis as it is opened. Thus a cassette containing wafers can easily be placed on the drawer front with the wafers oriented vertically, as they are normally carried, and the cassette will be rotated 90.degree. as the drawer is closed, thereby orienting the wafers horizontally for access by a robot inside the photolithography system. The cassette may also be rotated about a vertical axis within the unit, so that several input/output units may be used with a robot which rotates about a fixed axis. A clamping mechanism grips the cassette firmly when it is placed in the unit.

Abstract: A gas purge unit for a portable closed container is defined by a purge box including an opening, and a container stand around the opening on which a closed container is set; a gas supplying inlet coupled to a gas supplying source, and a gas discharging outlet; and a lifting mechanism for closing the opening from inside of the purge box and controlling the locking and unlocking operations of a locking mechanism provided in the lid of the container.

Abstract: A magazine for data carriers, for use with a rotatable opening element, has a housing with a box-like base, the base having an open top and a cover formed by separable cover halves being disposed over the top of the base. The base has at least one receptacle therein for receiving a data carrier, such a magnetic tape cartridge. The magazine is intended for insertion in a data reader, which removes the data carrier from the magazine and inserts it in a drive for reading the data therefrom. The halves of the housing are mounted on the base for respective rotation around first and second axes parallel to a longitudinal edge of the base, and disposed inwardly of all edges of the base. A rotatable opening element is engageable with at least one of the housing halves to cause the housing halves to rotate around their respective axes, when the magazine is moved toward the opening element, to move the halves apart, over the sides of the base, to open the magazine to permit removal of a data carrier therefrom.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system for handling and processing thin substrates, such as substrates for magnetic disks. The system includes a main chamber, entrance and output load locks, a buffer chamber, substrate load/unload structure, and a plurality of substrate processing stations positioned contiguous with the main vacuum chamber. The system further includes a transport for moving a plurality of cassettes carrying vertically oriented substrates into the entrance load lock, to the buffer chamber where the substrates are transferred into the main chamber, and to the output load lock where processed substrates are placed back in the cassettes. The substrates are transferred to and from the cassettes to and from the substrate load/unload structure by way of dedicated lift blades.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methods for improving systems which expose samples to reactive plasmas, and more particularly for inverting the sample within these systems. The systems are of the type which have one or more process chambers, at least one intermediate chamber, and a robot transport mechanism to transport the sample between the several chambers. The invention includes flipping and gripping assemblies which mount within the intermediate chamber. These assemblies grasp and remove the sample as transported by the robot mechanism, and invert the sample within the intermediate chamber. The inverted sample is re-positioned at the robot mechanism so that the sample can be transported to one or more process chambers for deposition in a "face down" orientation, which reduces contamination.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting material, such as semiconductor wafers, between process modules coupled to a chamber. The transport apparatus includes a chamber; guide rails affixed to an outer surface of the chamber; one or more material transporters each including a motorized vehicle positioned outside the chamber and movable along the guide rails, a material carrier positioned inside the chamber, and magnetic levitation means for magnetically coupling the material carrier to the motorized vehicle through a nonmagnetic wall of the chamber; and a controller that controls the position of the motorized vehicle along the guide devices to move the material carrier to desired positions within the chamber.

Abstract: The dispatching apparatus with a gas supply distribution system (300) basically comprises an automatic handler 301 and a vertical stocker (302). The vertical stocker has a frame (308) formed by an assembly of tubes supporting a plurality of support stations or bins (309) each provided with gas infectors (311) connected on the one hand to the gas injection valves of the container and on the other hand to a compressed ultra pure neutral gas supply installation. As a result, during the processing idle times, an adequate overpressure of said neutral gas is maintained in the interior space of the container enclosing the workpiece, e.g. a silicon wafer. The automatic handler (301) basically comprises a handling robot (305) having an extending arm (306) provided with gripping means (307) adapted to the container design. The handling robot (305) is affixed on an elevator (304) for vertical movement and is able to rotate about it.

Abstract: A manufacturing system and method for processing semiconductor wafers through a plurality of processing stations that perform manufacturing operations on wafers includes a plurality of processing stations, each of which are capable of performing at least one processing operation on a wafer, each of the processing stations having a controlled environment for processing the wafers, and a branched tunnel joined and communicating with the controlled environment. A means is provided for maintaining a clean environment in the tunnel. Within the tunnel there are provided a plurality of guided transport vehicles adapted to travel between the process stations. A plurality of wafer carriers, each adapted to support a single wafer and be carried by the transport vehicles, are part of the system.

Abstract: A sample autoloader loads a sample into a furnace and removes a sample from the furnace. The sample autoloader includes a sealing plate for sealing the furnace. The sample autoloader also includes a mechanism for pushing a sample into the furnace and removing a sample from the furnace. The sample autoloader may include a hotel which stores sample containers for automatic loading and a container which receives spent sample containers.

Abstract: A micro-environment load lock for coupling a SMIF-type box containing a stack of semiconductor wafers directly to a wafer processing chamber includes a load lock chamber in communication with at least one wafer processing tool. The load lock also includes a seal operable to accept and sealably couple a SMIF-type box to the load lock chamber such that SMIF-type box becomes an extension of the load lock chamber, and provides a base that is selectably operable to open and close the SMIF-type box and to selectably draw a cassette of wafers from the SMIF-type box through a port in communication with the load lock chamber and into the load lock chamber. The base is also operable to seal the port in the absence of a SMIF-type box. A single robot is provided in conjunction with the load lock chamber for moving one wafer at a time between the cassette of wafers and the process chamber.

Abstract: A pressurized interface apparatus (200) is provided for transferring a workpiece from within a pressurized sealable transportable container (100) into a specified environment and vice versa. The container consists of a box-shaped housing (102) having an access opening (104) sealed by a releasable door (124) and having a gas injection valve (129). The interface apparatus includes an IN/OUT section having a box-shaped frame (201) with a port zone defining an interior space (204) provided with a first opening (205A) and a second opening (205'A) opposite thereto and communicating with the specified environment. The apparatus further includes a lid controlled by a drive (209A) to seal the first opening and cause the port zone to operate as a load lock chamber. A transfer handler (216A) having a workpiece gripper (218A) is mounted within the port zone. A container receiver is positioned in front of the first opening for receiving a container in a waiting position or in a working position adjacent the first opening.

Abstract: In a wafer transfer device for transferring wafers from a first basket to a second basket, a carriage carries a lifting member which is vertically slidably supported by a carriage main body, and a plurality of wafer support plates are carried by the lifting member. As the wafer support tables carried by the carriage move through the second basket and enters the first carriage, the lifting member is lifted by a cam slot engaging with a cam follower provided in the lifting member so as to lift the wafers received in the first basket clear from their supporting surfaces supporting their side edges. The carriage is then reversed, and when the wafer support plates are placed into the second basket, the cam slot causes the lifting member to be lowered so as to rest the side edges of the wafers the corresponding supporting surfaces.

Abstract: Specimen carrier carousels adapted to support a plurality of specimen carriers in a radial configuration and selectively position specimen carriers at associated processing stations are disclosed. Specimen carriers mounted on the carousel are automatically tilted during rotation of the carousel to properly seat the specimens in their respective carriers and to prevent specimen movement during rotation. Specimen carrier platforms are also disclosed. A scanning assembly is provided in association with a carrier platform or at least one carrier station of a carrier carousel to monitor and verify the orientation of specimens within a carrier prior to commencement of processing operations. A subtilt assembly may be provided to correct the orientation of specimens identified as mispositioned during the scanning operation and to facilitate detection of the presence and location of specimens in a carrier.

Abstract: A manufacturing system and method for processing semiconductor wafers through a plurality of processing stations that perform manufacturing operations on wafers includes a plurality of processing stations, each of which are capable of performing at least one processing operation of a wafer, each of the processing stations having a controlled environment for processing the wafers, and a branched track providing a surface leading to each of said processing stations. On the track there are provided a plurality of guided transport vehicles adapted to travel between the process stations. A plurality of wafer carriers, each adapted to support a single wafer and be carried by the transport vehicles, are part of the system. An interface is provided at each processing station to introduce the wafer from the box into the clean environment of the process station, and subsequently return the box and wafer to the transport vehicle.

Abstract: A wafer boat rotating apparatus is disclosed, which includes a boat holding portion for holding both ends of the wafer boat, a vertical rotation drive mechanism for rotating the boat holding portion on a vertical plane, and a horizontal rotation drive mechanism for rotating the boat holding portion on a horizontal plane. A wafer holding member is disposed on the boat holding portion and adapted to keep the wafers held in the wafer boat apart from a bottom portion of the wafer boat by a small distance. Thus, compensation for the difference of coefficients of thermal expansion between the wafers and wafer boat during heat treatment can be made easily.

Abstract: A processing apparatus 10 has chambers 11 and 12 and a loading mechanism 13 for transferring workpieces into and out of the chambers. The workpieces are carried on a pallet 16 which is slotted so that, when it is inserted into the chambers 11 or 12 the slots are aligned with lines A-H on lifting pins. This arrangement enables the mechanism 13 to withdraw the pallet, whilst the pins 22 are in their erect position.

Abstract: A sample autoloader loads a sample into a furnace and removes a sample from the furnace. The sample autoloader includes a sealing plate for sealing the furnace. The sample autoloader also includes a mechanism for pushing a sample into the furnace and removing a sample from the furnace. The sample autoloader may include a hotel which stores sample containers for automatic loading and a container which receives spent sample containers.

Abstract: A stock unit for storing carriers has a stock unit body, a plurality of carrier mounting shelves provided in a side wall of the stock unit body at predetermined spaces in a vertical direction, a carrier station, provided in the lower portion of the stock unit body, receiving and sending a carrier between the stock unit and a carrier part provided in the outside of the stock unit body, a carrier transport device, provided in the lower portion of the stock unit body, for transporting the carrier from the inside of the stock unit body to wafer transfer device provided in the outside of the stock unit body, and a carrier arm mechanism gripping at least one carrier, receiving and sending the carrier between the carrier station and the carrier transport device, and between the carrier mounting shelves and the carrier transport device regardless of the operation of the carrier transport device.