Automated semiconductor processing systems
AssigneeSemitool, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey A. Davis, Gary L. Curtis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semiconductor processing system for wafers or other semiconductor articles. The system uses an interface section at an end of the machine accessible from the clean room. A plurality of processing stations are arranged away from the clean room interface. A transfer subsystem removes wafers from supporting carriers, and positions both the wafers and carriers onto a carrousel which is used as an inventory storage. Wafers are shuttled between the inventory and processing stations by a robotic conveyor which is oriented to move toward and away from the interface end. The system processes the wafers without wafer carriers.
Claims32
A semiconductor processor for processing semiconductor articles, comprising:
- an enclosure for providing a substantially enclosed work space therewithin;
- at least one carrousel mounted within the enclosure for holding semiconductor articles thereon;
- at least one article transfer for transferring articles from an article carrier for support upon said at least one carrousel;
- a plurality of processing stations;
- said processing stations having access openings which open to the work space to allow installation and removal of articles relative to said processing stations;
- at least one conveyor for conveying said articles to and from said plurality of processing stations and said at least one carrousel.
A semiconductor processor for processing semiconductor articles, comprising:
- an enclosure for providing a substantially enclosed work space therewithin;
- at least one carrousel mounted within the enclosure for holding semiconductor articles thereon;
- at least one processing station;
- said at least one processing station having at least one access opening which opens to the work space to allow installation and removal of articles relative to said at least one processing station;
- at least one conveyor for conveying said articles to and from said at least one processing station and said at least one carrousel;
- wherein said at least one carrousel includes a plurality of article supports arranged thereon for holding the semiconductor articles in batches of multiple articles which are conveyed by said conveyor.
A semiconductor processor for processing semiconductor articles, comprising:
- a frame;
- an enclosure for providing a substantially enclosed work space therewithin;
- at least one carrousel mounted within the enclosure for holding semiconductor articles thereon;
- at least one processing station;
- said at least one processing station having at least one access opening which opens to the work space to allow installation and removal of articles relative to said at least one processing station;
- at least one conveyor for conveying said articles to and from said at least one processing station and said at least one carrousel;
- a semiconductor article transfer for transferring semiconductor articles from an article carrier to said at least one carrousel, comprising:
- at least one first carriage mounted upon said frame for movement relative thereto, said first carriage having features for supporting at least one article carrier thereon;
- at least one second carriage mounted upon said frame for movement relative thereto, said second carriage having features for supporting at least one article thereon;
- said at least one first carriage and said at least one second carriage being mounted so as to allow the at least one second carriage to move relative to the at least one first carriage to remove or reinstall articles relative to an article carrier supported by the at least one first carriage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.