Semiconductor substrate transfer apparatus and semiconductor substrate processing apparatus equipped with the same

A semiconductor substrate transfer system comprising:

• (a) at least one front opening unified pod (FOUP) for storing substrates;
• (b) at least one in-out chamber (JOC) for storing substrates;
• and
• (c) a semiconductor substrate transfer apparatus disposed between the front opening unified pod and the in-out chamber, for transferring substrates between the front opening unified pod and the in-out chamber, said semiconductor substrate transfer apparatus comprising:
• multiple end effectors for unloading substrates from the front opening unified pod and loading the substrates to the in-out chamber and for unloading substrates from the in-out chamber and loading the substrates to the front opening unified pod, one of said multiple end effectors being configured to hold at least one substrate, another of said multiple end effectors being configured to hold more substrates than the one of said multiple end effectors;
• at least one robot arm for moving the multiple end effectors between the front opening unified pod and the in-out chamber, wherein the at least one robot arm comprises a first arm and a second arm wherein the one of said multiple end effectors and the another of said multiple end effectors have a common axis disposed therein and are co-axially and rotatably joined at the common axis with the second arm which is rotatably joined with the first arm, and the first arm has a support axis rotatably fixed to a base and common to the one of said multiple end effectors and the another of said multiple end effectors, wherein the one of the multiple end effectors and the another of the multiple end effectors are independently rotatable at the common axis with respect to the second arm;
• a controller for judging which end effector or end effectors in the multiple end effectors are to be selected based on a distribution status of substrates stored in the front opening unified pod and the in-out chamber and for rotating the selected end effector(s) for unloading a substrate or substrates from the front opening unified pod and loading the substrate or substrates to the in-out chamber or for unloading a substrate or substrates from the in-out chamber and loading the substrate or substrates to the front opening unified pod;
• and
• a sensor device for sensing an occupancy status of slots of the front opening unified pod, which is used as the distribution status by the controller, wherein the sensor device is installed in a door of the front opening unified pod and is configured to sense the occupancy status of slots when the door opens.

A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus comprising:

• (a) at least one front opening unified pod (FOUP) for storing substrates;
• (b) at least one in-out chamber (IOC) for storing substrates;
• (c) a semiconductor substrate transfer apparatus disposed between the front opening unified pod and the in-out chamber, for transferring substrates between the front opening unified pod and the in-out chamber, said semiconductor substrate transfer apparatus comprising:
• multiple end effectors for unloading substrates from the front opening unified pod and loading the substrates to the in-out chamber and for unloading substrates from the in-out chamber and loading the substrates to the front opening unified pod, one of said multiple end effectors being configured to hold at least one substrate, another of said multiple end effectors being configured to hold more substrates than the one of said multiple end effectors;
• at least one robot arm for moving the multiple end effectors between the front opening unified pod and the in-out chamber, wherein the at least one robot arm comprises a first arm and a second arm wherein the one of said multiple end effectors and the another of said multiple end effectors have a common axis disposed therein and are co-axially and rotatably joined at the common axis with the second arm which is rotatably joined with the first arm, and the first arm has a support axis rotatably fixed to a base and common to the one of said multiple end effectors and the another of said multiple end effectors, wherein the one of the multiple end effectors and the another of the multiple end effectors are independently rotatable at the common axis with respect to the second arm;
• a controller for judging which end effector or end effectors in the multiple end effectors are to be selected based on a distribution status of substrates stored in the front opening unified pod and the in-out chamber and for rotating the selected end effector(s) for unloading a substrate or substrates from the front opening unified pod and loading the substrate or substrates to the in-out chamber or for unloading a substrate or substrates from the in-out chamber and loading the substrate or substrates to the front opening unified pod;
• and
• a sensor device for sensing an occupancy status of slots of the front opening unified pod, which is used as the distribution status by the controller, wherein the sensor device is installed in a door of the front opening unified pod and is configured to sense the occupancy status of slots when the door opens;
• (d) at least one reaction chamber for processing substrates;
• and
• (e) a vacuum robot disposed between the in-out chamber and the reaction chamber.