Methods and apparatus for enhanced operation of substrate carrier handlers
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsMichael Teferra, Amitabh Puri, Eric Englhardt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, tools, and methods are provided in which a first signal is transmitted from a tool to a Fab indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a specific carrier and that the specific carrier may be temporarily unloaded from a loadport of the tool. A second signal is transmitted from the tool to the Fab indicating that the specific carrier may be returned to the tool. While the carrier is unloaded from the tool, other carriers may be loaded on the vacated loadport. Numerous other features and aspects of the invention are disclosed.
Claims22
A method comprising:
- receiving a first signal indicative of a status of contents of a carrier at a port associated with a tool, wherein the status indicates whether
- (1) the carrier contains one or more substrates to be processed by the tool, or
- (2) the carrier is empty or contains only one or more substrates that have already been processed by the tool;
- receiving a second signal indicative that the carrier is ready to be removed from the port;
- and
- performing a transfer of the carrier based upon the first and second signals.
A method comprising:
- transmitting a first signal from a tool indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a specific carrier and that the specific carrier may be temporarily unloaded from a loadport of the tool;
- and
- transmitting a second signal from the tool indicating that the specific carrier may be returned to the tool.
A method comprising:
- requesting a Fab to temporarily unload a first in-access carrier from a loadport associated with a tool;
- and
- requesting the FAB to load the first in-access carrier to a load port associated with the tool.
A system comprising:
- a factory including at least one tool adapted to receive small lot carriers at a port associated with the tool, wherein the tool is further adapted to:
- transmit a first signal indicative of a status of contents of a carrier at the port, wherein the status indicates whether
- (1) the carrier contains one or more substrates to be processed by the tool, or
- (2) the carrier is empty or contains only one or more substrates that have already been processed by the tool, and
- transmit a second signal indicative that the carrier is ready to be removed from the port;
- and
- wherein the factory is adapted to receive the first and second signals and, in response, perform a transfer of the carrier based upon the first and second signals.
A tool comprising:
- a loadport associated with a tool;
- and
- a communications port adapted to communicate with a Fab including an automated material handling system adapted to load and unload carriers from the loadport and adapted to receive signals from the tool,
- wherein the tool is adapted to:
- transmit a first signal indicating that all substrates to be processed have been removed from a specific carrier and that the specific carrier may be temporarily unloaded from the loadport, and
- transmit a second signal indicating that the specific carrier may be returned to the tool.
A tool comprising:
- a plurality of loadports associated with a tool;
- and
- a controller operative to communicate with a Fab, wherein the controller is adapted to:
- request the Fab to temporarily unload a first in-access carrier from a loadport associated with the tool;
- and
- request the Fab to load the first in-access carrier to a loadport associated with the tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.