Load port and method for loading and unloading cassette

A load port for a processing tool, the load port comprising:

• a carrier comprising a plurality of cassette supporting plates, the carrier being movable relative to the processing tool along a first direction, wherein the cassette supporting plates are arranged along the first direction, and any two adjacent cassette supporting plates are separated by a distance along the first direction;
• a carrier actuator operably connected to the carrier;
• an input table configured to receive at least one cassette, the input table being movable relative to the cassette supporting plates along a second direction different from the first direction, wherein a height of the at least one cassette is smaller than the distance;
• an input table actuator operably connected to the input table;
• a housing having a processing gateway facing the processing tool, wherein the housing has a compartment in which the carrier is movably disposed, and a bottom of the processing gateway is disposed over a bottom of the compartment;
• and
• a controller configured to control the carrier actuator to move the carrier, such that one of the cassette supporting plates is aligned with the input table, configured to control the input table actuator to move the input table with the at least one cassette on the aligned cassette supporting plate, and configured to control the input table to load the at least one cassette onto the aligned cassette supporting plate.

A load port for a processing tool, the load port comprising:

• a carrier having a plurality of cassette buffering spaces, the carrier being configured to be located in front of a surface of the processing tool, and being movable relative to the processing tool along a path substantially parallel to the surface;
• a carrier actuator operably connected to the carrier;
• an input table configured to receive at least one cassette, the input table being configured to selectively move toward or away from the carrier;
• an input table actuator operably connected to the input table;
• a housing having a processing gateway facing the processing tool, wherein the housing has a compartment in which the carrier is movably disposed, and a bottom of the processing gateway is disposed over a bottom of the compartment;
• and
• a controller configured to control the carrier actuator to move the carrier to align one of the cassette buffering spaces with the input table, configured to control the input table actuator to move the input table with the at least one cassette into the aligned cassette buffering space, and configured to control the input table to load the at least one cassette into the aligned cassette buffering space.