Universal reticle transfer system

US7318697B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Fortrend Engineering Corporation · US

Inventors

• Kung Chris Wu · Sunnyvale, US
• Robert Frank Sifuentes · Milpitas, US
• Kenneth A. Hardy · San Jose, US
• Edgardo A. Caliboso · Sunnyvale, US
• Anatoly Malobrodsky · Mountain View, US
• Chien-Rong Huang · Hsinchu, TW

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 12, 2003
• Grant date: Jan 15, 2008
• Expiry date: May 10, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/68707
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A specially adapted SMIF pod (20) receives and holds one particular type of reticle cassette (36) or reticle holder (132) selected from among dozens of different configurations thereof. The SMIF pod (20) may be interrogated to determine the particular type of reticle cassette (36) or reticle holder (132) carried therein. A reticle transfer system (50) receives a pair of such SMIF pods (20), interrogates each of the SMIF pods (20) to ascertain which type of reticle cassette (36) or reticle holder (132) the SMIF pod (20) carries, and automatically moves reticles (42) through a controlled environment from one reticle cassette (36) or reticle holder (32) to another reticle cassette (36) or reticle holder (132). A reticle reorienter (56) includable in the system (50) also permits automatically exchanging reticles (42) between a reticle carrier (144) and a reticle cassette (36) or reticle holder (132).