Patent · US Expired

Automated semiconductor processing system

US6273110A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
14References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 8, 1998
Grant dateAug 14, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 8, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S414/14
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An automated semiconductor processing system has an indexer bay perpendicularly aligned with a process bay within a clean air enclosure. An indexer in the indexer bay provides stocking or storage for work in progress semiconductor wafers. Process chambers are located in the process bay. A process robot moves between the indexer bay and process bay to carry semi-conductor wafers to and from the process chambers. The process robot has a robot arm vertically movable along a lift rail. Semiconductor wafers are carried offset from the robot arm, to better avoid contamination. The automated system is compact and requires less clean room floor space.

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