Patent · US Active

Substrate carrying and processing apparatus

US7836845B2 · kind B2 · utility

13Cited by
2References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 12, 2007
Grant dateNov 23, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 28, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S414/141
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention provides a substrate carrying and processing apparatus which is intended to reduce the size of the space for storing substrates in each substrate storing section as much as possible so as to downsize the apparatus and increase the number of substrates to be stored therein as well as to enhance the throughput. The substrate carrying and processing apparatus comprises a carrier block S1 which is adapted to position carriers 20 each receiving wafers W therein, a processing block S2 including processing units U1 to U4, 31 used for processing each wafer, a main arms A1 adapted to transfer each wafer to each processing unit, a rack unit U5 which is disposed between the carrier block and the processing block and able to store wafers to be processed, and a transfer arm D adapted to transfer each wafer to the rack unit. The rack unit has openings 11, 12 to which the main arm and the transfer arm can transfer each substrate along two directions crossing to each other, and includes a plurality of placing shelves with a space therebetween and adapted to support a wafer. The main arms and transfer arms are configured such that they can be advanced into and retracted from t…

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