Patent · US Expired

Substrate transfer method and interface apparatus

US5788868A · kind A · utility

49Cited by
2References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 28, 1996
Grant dateAug 4, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 28, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/67778
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An interface apparatus is disposed between a processing unit for performing varied treatments on substrates before and after exposure of the substrates, and an exposure unit for performing the exposure. The interface apparatus includes first and second substrate transfer robots, and a substrate storage having a plurality of storage racks for storing a plurality of substrates. The first substrate transfer robot transfer substrates between the processing unit and substrate storage while the second substrate transfer robot transfers substrates between the substrate storage and exposure unit. Each of the robots is operable independently of and parallel to the other robot. The first transfer robot may be omitted, and when it is so omitted, a substrate transport robot in the processing unit performs the functions of the first transfer robot.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.