Reticle sorter
US6878895B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 26, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 12, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 26, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S209/939
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A reticle sorter and a semiconductor fabrication facility employing one or more reticle sorters is provided. The reticle sorter(s) generally lies between a reticle storage system and a group of one or more photolithography exposure tools (e.g., steppers) and is configured for sorting reticles in one or more cassettes. The use of the reticle sorter provides sorting functionality apart from the reticle storage system and typically closer to the group of photolithography steppers with which it is associated. This can, for example, significantly increase the throughput of semiconductor wafers through the associated photolithography exposure tools as well as in the semiconductor fabrication plant as a whole.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.