초록 ▼

An automated semiconductor processing system has an indexer bay perpendicularly aligned with a process bay within a clean air enclosure. An indexer in the indexer bay provides stocking or storage for work in progress semiconductor wafers. Process chambers are located in the process bay. A process ro

An automated semiconductor processing system has an indexer bay perpendicularly aligned with a process bay within a clean air enclosure. An indexer in the indexer bay provides stocking or storage for work in progress semiconductor wafers. Process chambers are located in the process bay. A process robot moves between the indexer bay and process bay to carry semi-conductor wafers to and from the process chambers. The process robot has a robot arm vertically moveable along a lift rail. Semiconductor wafers are carried offset from the robot arm, to better avoid contamination. The automated system is compact and requires less clean room floor space.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for processing flat media, comprising:a work-in-progress space at a first elevation and having multiple flat media container positions arranged in a side-by-side array, and with all of the flat media container positions at the first elevation; a docking station at a second elevation high

1. A system for processing flat media, comprising:a work-in-progress space at a first elevation and having multiple flat media container positions arranged in a side-by-side array, and with all of the flat media container positions at the first elevation; a docking station at a second elevation higher than the first elevation; a container door remover at the docking station; an elevator for vertically raising a container holding flat media from a flat media container position at the first elevation, to the docking station; a spray process chamber; and a process robot movable between the docking station and the process chamber, for moving flat media between them. 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one carrier and a transfer robot at a transfer station, with the transfer robot movable to carry a flat media article from a container at the docking station to a carrier at the transfer station.3. The system of claim 2 with the at least one carrier having spaced apart finger slots adapted to engage with an end effector on the process robot.4. A system for processing flat media, comprising:an indexer having first and second rows of flat media container holding positions, and at least one container shift system for moving containers between the holding positions; a transfer station vertically above the indexer; a docking station adjacent to the transfer station; a container door remover associated with the docking station; a spray process chamber; a process robot movable between the transfer station and the process chamber, for moving flat media between them; and at least one docking station elevator for moving a container vertically from the indexer to the docking station. 5. The system of claim 4 further comprising an engager plate positioned on an engager actuator supported on the docking station elevator.6. The system of claim 4 wherein the container shift system comprises a plurality of rollers, with at least one of the rollers linked to a drive motor.7. A system for processing flat media, comprising:an indexer having a first row and second row parallel to the first row, with each of the first and second rows having a plurality of container holding positions, and at least one shuttle robot for moving a container from the first row to the second row; a docking wall having at least one opening, for docking a container; at least one elevator associated with the indexer, for moving a container vertically between the indexer and the docking wall; a transfer robot positioned vertically above the indexer and adjacent to the docking wall, with the transfer robot moveable to carry a flat media article from a container at the docking wall to a carrier; at least one spray process chamber; a process robot having an end effector for engaging and lifting the carrier and for moving the carrier to the process chamber. 8. A system for processing flat media, comprising:means for holding a container at a first elevation; a docking station for docking the container at a second elevation higher than the first elevation; door removal means for removing a door of the container; means for raising the container from the first elevation to the docking station; a transfer station adjacent to the docking station; transfer means at the transfer station for moving flat media out of the container and into a carrier; process chamber means for processing the flat media by spinning the carrier and by spraying a process liquid onto the flat media in the carrier; and robot means for moving the carrier from the transfer station and for placing the carrier into the process chamber means. 9. A system for processing flat media, comprising:a work-in-progress space at a first elevation and having multiple positions for holding batches of flat media; an indexer in the work-in-progress space and a loader associated with the indexer, the loader having a load elevator for moving a closed container holding flat media between an up position, and a down position, and with the load elevator in the down position substantially aligned with the indexer at the first elevation; a docking station at a second elevation higher than the first elevation; an elevator for vertically raising a container holding flat media from the first elevation to the docking station; a spray process chamber; and a process robot for moving flat media to and from the spray process chamber. 10. The system of claim 9 with the loader having a loader conveyor for moving a container holding flat media from the loader onto the indexer.11. The system of claim 9 with the indexer comprising at least one drive section having a plurality of rollers for supporting a flat media holding container, and with a drive motor linked to at least one of the rollers.12. The system of claim 11 where the rollers support the container only at the outside lateral edges of the container.13. A system for processing flat media, comprising:a work-in-progress space at a first elevation and having multiple positions for holding batches of flat media; an indexer in the work-in-progress space, with the indexer having a first row and second row parallel to the first row, and at least one shuttle device for moving a container from the first row to the second row; a docking station at a second elevation higher than the first elevation; an elevator for vertically lifting a container holding flat media from the first elevation to the docking station; a spray process chamber; and a process robot movable to load and unload flat media into and out of the spray process chamber. 14. A system for processing flat media, comprising:a work-in-progress space at a first elevation and having multiple positions for holding batches of flat media; a docking station at a second elevation higher than the first elevation; an elevator for vertically moving a container holding flat media from the first elevation to the docking station; a transfer station; at least one transfer robot at the transfer station; at least one carrier positionable at the transfer station, with the transfer robot movable to carry a flat media article from a container at the docking station to the carrier at the transfer station; a spray process chamber; and a process robot movable between the transfer station and the process chamber, for moving flat media between them. 15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a rotor in the spray process chamber adapted to receive the carrier and a batch or workpieces held in the carrier.16. A system for processing flat media, comprising:an indexer; a transfer station above the indexer; a docking station adjacent to the transfer station; a container door remover associated with the docking station; a spray process chamber; a process robot movable between the transfer station and the process chamber, for moving flat media between them; and at least one docking station elevator for moving a container vertically from the indexer to the docking station; an engager plate positioned on an engager actuator supported on the docking station elevator; and a docking wall at the docking station with the docking wall having at least one opening, and with the engager plate moveable towards and away from the docking wall, to dock and un-dock a container at the docking station. 17. A system for processing flat media, comprising:an indexer; a transfer station above the indexer; a generally horizontal deck separating the indexer from the transfer station; a docking station adjacent to the transfer station; a container door remover associated with the docking station; a spray process chamber; a process robot movable between the transfer station and the process chamber, for moving flat media between them; and at least one docking station elevator for moving a container vertically from the indexer to the docking station. 18. A system for processing flat media, comprising:a work-in-progress space having multiple positions for holding batches of flat media; a docking station; a container door remover associated with the docking station; an elevator for moving a container holding flat media from the work-in-progress space to the docking station; a spray process chamber; a process robot movable to the process chamber and to a position adjacent to the docking station, with the process robot including: a lift unit; a vertical lift rail on the lift unit; an elbow joint on the lift unit, with the elbow joint moveable along the lift rail via a lift motor; a forearm attached to the lift unit at the elbow joint; a wrist joint attached to the forearm; and an end effector attached to the forearm at the wrist joint. 19. The system of claim 18 wherein the wrist joint is laterally offset from the forearm for holding articles to one side of the forearm, with the process robot moveable into an overhand position wherein the wrist joint is above the elbow joint, and moveable into an underhand position wherein the wrist joint is below the elbow joint.20. The system of claim 18 wherein the end effector is displaced to one side of the wrist joint and the elbow joint, so that neither the wrist joint or the elbow joint is positionable vertically above the end effector, regardless of the orientation of the process robot.21. A system for processing flat media, comprising:an enclosure: a work-in-progress space within the enclosure, and having multiple positions for holding batches of flat media; a docking station within the enclosure; a container door remover associated with the docking station; an elevator for moving a container holding flat media from the work-in-progress space to the docking station; a spray process chamber; a process robot movable within the enclosure from adjacent the docking station to the process chamber; and a container rotator for rotating the container, before the container is docked at the docking station.