초록

A modular wafer processing machine is provided which is based on interconnected handling units having wafer handling arms. Each unit can pass a wafer to another unit in the same vacuum environment to a processing module.

대표청구항 ▼

A wafer transport and processing system comprising: a transport vacuum chamber having a first plurality of ports and a second plurality of ports, each of said ports of said first and said second pluralities communicating the interior of said chamber to the exterior of said chamber; valve means for o

A wafer transport and processing system comprising: a transport vacuum chamber having a first plurality of ports and a second plurality of ports, each of said ports of said first and said second pluralities communicating the interior of said chamber to the exterior of said chamber; valve means for opening and closing each of said ports of said first and said second pluralities; a wafer processing chamber connected to one of said ports on an exterior side of said valve means for said one port, and a wafer processing chamber connected to another of said ports of said first and said second pluralities on an exterior side of said valve means for said another port; and transfer means in said transport vacuum chamber comprising: first transport means in said transport vacuum chamber for transferring a wafer from any first selected one of said ports of said first plurality into said transport vacuum chamber and thence to any selected port in said first plurality of ports; and second transport means in said transport vacuum chamber for transferring a wafer from any first selected one of said ports of said second plurality into said transport vacuum chamber and thence to any second selected port in said second plurality of ports, said first transport means not being capable of transferring a wafer into said transport vacuum chamber from at least two ports in said second plurality, said second transport means not being capable of transferring a wafer into said transport vacuum chamber from at least two ports in said first plurality; said transport vacuum chamber not being sectionalizable so as to comprise a vacuum chamber intermediate said first transport means and said second transport means with said first and said second transport means being exterior to said intermediate vacuum chamber, said transfer means being capable of transferring a wafer from said first transport means to said second transport means so that a wafer is transferable from any first selected port in said first plurality of ports to any second selected port in said second plurality of ports.