Elevator-based tool loading and buffering system
View Patent ↗A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus has a casing, a low port interface and a carrier holding station. The casing has processing devices within for processing substrates. The load port interface is connected to the casing for loading substrates into the processing device. The carrier holding station is connected to the casing. The carrier holding station is adapted for holding at least one substrate transport carrier so the at least one substrate transport carrier is capable of being coupled to the load port interface without lifting the at least one substrate transport carrier off the carrier holding station. The carrier holding station is arranged to provide a substantially simultaneous swap section for substantially simultaneous replacement of the substrate transport carrier from the carrier holding station.
1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
a casing with a processing device within for processing substrates;
a load port interface connected to the casing for loading substrates into the processing device;
a carrier holding station connected to the casing, the carrier holding station being adapted for holding at least one substrate transport carrier at the load port interface; and
a carrier loading and buffering system having a transport configured to interface with the carrier holding station for loading and unloading the at least one substrate transport carrier from the carrier holding station, wherein the transport of the carrier loading and buffering system is further configured to interface with a first carrier transport system, capable of moving the at least one substrate transport carrier from the substrate processing apparatus to another substrate processing apparatus along a first transport path, and with a second carrier transport system, distinct from the first carrier transport system, capable of moving the at least one substrate transport carrier from the substrate processing apparatus to the other substrate processing apparatus along a second transport path where the carrier loading and buffering system is distinct from the first and second carrier transport systems.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second carrier transport systems are offset relative to each other.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the loading and buffering system spans between the first and second carrier transport systems joining the first and second carrier transport systems to each other.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier loading and buffering system has storage stations, each of which is configured for storing the at least one substrate transport carrier, and the carrier loading and buffering system has a carrier transfer interface where the carrier loading and buffering system interfaces with the first carrier transport system and the second carrier transport system for transferring the at least one substrate transport carrier between the carrier loading and buffering system and the first carrier transport system and second carrier transport system, and wherein the carrier transfer interface is distinct and independent from each of the storage stations.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier loading and buffering system has storage stations, each of which is configured for storing the at least one substrate transport carrier, and the carrier loading and buffering system has a carrier transfer interface where the carrier loading and buffering system interfaces with the first carrier transport system and the second carrier transport system for transferring the at least one substrate transport carrier between the carrier loading and buffering system and the first carrier transport system and second carrier transport system, and wherein the carrier transfer interface is not one of the storage stations of the carrier loading and buffering system.