Portable stocker and method of using same

A system comprising:

• a conveyor;
• a semiconductor processing tool having a lifter port, the tool positioned near the conveyor, such that the lifter port is configured to transport a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) between the conveyor and the lifter port;
• and
• an upstream stocker and a downstream stocker, both co-located with the conveyor and the tool, the upstream and downstream stockers each having a respective storage space for the FOUP and a respective robotic device configured to transport the FOUP between the storage space thereof and the conveyor, the upstream stocker configured to receive the FOUP from an overhead transport (OHT) and deliver the FOUP to the conveyor, the downstream stocker configured to receive the FOUP from the conveyor and deliver the FOUP to the OHT.

A method comprising:

• (a) providing at least a first stocker having a robotic device, a conveyor;
• and a semiconductor processing tool having a lifter port, the first stocker, conveyor and tool being co-located with each other;
• (b) transporting a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) directly from an output port of the first stocker to the conveyor using the robotic device of the first stocker;
• and
• (c) transporting the FOUP on the conveyor directly to the lifter port of the tool.