Method and apparatus for handling and processing wafer-like materials

Apparatus for transporting wafer-like articles between a storage location in an external atmospheric environment and an isolatable wafer processing machine in an internal atmospheric environment isolated from said external environment, said machine communicating with said internal environment through a sealable aperture, said apparatus comprising:

• carrier means at said storage location for supporting a plurality of said articles;
• a chamber for isolating said internal environment from said external environment, said chamber having a wall enclosing said machine in said internal environment;
• entry means in said chamber wall alternately in communication with said internal and external environments for permitting transfer of an article therethrough while maintaining isolation between said external and internal environments;
• external transfer means for moving articles between movable support means in said external environment and said carrier means;
• said movable support means movable between said entry means and said external transfer for transferring articles engaged thereby between said entry means and said external transfer means in said external environment;
• first article engaging arm means always in said internal environment and movable between a position within said entry means and an intermediate position for moving articles engaged thereby between said intermediate position and said support means when said support means is within said entry means and said entry means is in communication with said internal environment;
• and
• second article engaging arm means always in said internal environment and movable between said intermediate position and said aperture for moving articles engaged thereby between said first arm means at said intermediate position and said aperture of said machine;
• whereby said articles are each moved while within said internal environment only by said first and second article engaging arm means which are always isolated from said external environment.

Method for transporting wafer-like articles between a storage location in an external atmospheric environment and a wafer processing machine in an internal atmospheric environment isolated from said external environment, said machine communicating with said internal environment through a sealable aperture, said chamber having entry means in said chamber wall and alternately in communication with said inner and outer environments to permit transfer of an article therethrough while maintaining isolation between said external and internal environments, said method comprising the steps of:

• supporting a plurality of articles in a carrier at said storage location in said external environment;
• retrieving a first article from said carrier in said external environment;
• exchanging said retrieved first article with a second article on an article support in said external environment;
• transporting said first article on said support into said entry means while said entry means is in communication with said external environment;
• isolating said first article on said support in said entry means from said external environment and communicating said first article on said support while said support is stationary in said entry means, with said internal environment;
• engaging said first article at said support with a first arm in said entry means in said internal environment and transferring said first article with said first arm from said support in said entry means to an intermediate position in said internal environment;
• transferring said first article to a second arm in said internal environment and moving said first article, with said second arm, to said machine aperture;
• exchanging said first article in said internal environment with a third article at said machine aperture, and;
• said articles each being moved while in said internal environment between said entry means and said machine aperture with essentially only said two arms, said two arms being always essentially maintained within said internal environment.

A method for exchanging processed with unprocessed wafer-like articles and transferring said articles between a first location in a first plane and a second processing location at the intersection of a second plane and a third plane parallel to and spaced from the first plane, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first article from said first location at a first movable position adjacent and spaced a fixed distance from a longitudinal axis lying in the third plane;
• then
• pivoting said longitudinal axis in the third plane about a different axis perpendicular to the first and third planes and fixed with respect to the processing location to carry said first article in a first direction from said first location toward said second location;
• then
• engaging a second article at said second location at a second movable position adjacent and spaced said fixed distance from said longitudinal axis;
• then
• simultaneously rotating both said first and second movable positions and said first and second articles about said longitudinal axis, then
• depositing said first article at said second location;
• then
• pivoting said longitudinal axis about said different axis in said third plane to carry said first and second movable positions and said second article in a second direction opposite said first direction from said second location to said first location;
• then
• transferring said second article to said first location.