Stocker apparatus and substrate treating apparatus

Inactive Publication Date: 2010-09-09
SOKUDO CO LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]According to this invention, the openers for receiving FOUPs to feed and collect the substrates include a feed-only opener and a collect-only opener for separate uses. The feed-only opener is used only for feeding substrates from inside each FOUP, while the collect-only opener is used only for collecting the substrates into each FOUP. The transport mechanism transports an empty FOUP after the substrates are fed therefrom, from the feed-only opener to the collect-only opener, and then places a next FOUP storing substrates to be treated on the feed-only opener. This enables a continued operation to feed the substrates from the FOUPs. The collect-only opener receives the empty FOUP to collect treated substrates successively. After the treated substrates have been collected, the transport mechanism transports the FOUP storing the treated substrates from the collect-only opener to the outgoing rack, and places a next empty FOUP on the collect-only opener. This enables a continued operation to collect the substrates into the FOUPs. That is, the feed-only opener and collect-only opener are used to feed and collect substrates in succession, thereby realizing efficient feeding and collection of the substrates.
[0036]In the above invention, it is preferred that the control device is arranged to control the transport mechanism to execute a first transport step for transporting a FOUP placed on the incoming rack to the feed-only opener; a second-A transport step for transporting the FOUP placed on the feed-only opener and made empty of the substrates to the collect-only opener; a second-B transport step for once transporting the FOUP placed on the feed-only opener and made empty of the substrates to the mid-treatment storage rack to be kept thereon, and transporting the FOUP in keeping to the collect-only opener; and a third transport step for transporting the FOUP placed on the collect-only opener and having collected the substrates to the outgoing rack. The control device controls the transport mechanism to transport a FOUP placed on the incoming rack to the feed-only opener. The substrates are fed from the FOUP transported to the feed-only opener, and after the substrates are fed, the empty FOUP is transported to the collect-only opener. When the empty FOUP cannot be transported to the collect-only opener because of a different FOUP present thereon, the empty FOUP is once transported to the mid-treatment storage rack to be kept thereon, and is thereafter transported to the collect-only opener. Treated substrates are collected successively into the FOUP placed on the collect-only opener. After the substrates have been collected, the FOUP is transported from the collect-only opener to the outgoing rack. In this way, the substrates can be fed and collected efficiently.

Problems solved by technology

When, for example, a delay occurs in transporting the empty FOUP for use in collecting substrates, a resulting standby time will impair efficient collection.
A smooth operation is difficult without rules determined beforehand for transporting empty FOUPs F and collecting treated substrates.

Method used

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  • Stocker apparatus and substrate treating apparatus
  • Stocker apparatus and substrate treating apparatus
  • Stocker apparatus and substrate treating apparatus

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embodiment

[0073]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view in vertical section of a substrate treating apparatus with a stocker apparatus according to an embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a section taken on line A-A of the stocker apparatus shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a section taken on line B-B of the substrate treating apparatus with the stocker apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

[0074]As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate treating apparatus includes a substrate treating apparatus main body 1 of the single-substrate type, and a stocker apparatus 2 installed as connected to the substrate treating apparatus main body 1. The substrate treating apparatus main body 1 includes an indexer block 3, a treating block 4 and an interface block 5 interconnected in order from the left side of the stocker apparatus 2 in FIG. 3.

[0075][Substrate Treating Apparatus Main Body 1]

[0076]The indexer block 3 has an indexer mechanism 7 for transporting wafers W.

This indexer mechanism 7 takes wafers W out of a FOUP F set to an opene...

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Abstract

A stocker apparatus includes openers for receiving FOUPs acting as containers each for storing a plurality of substrates, to feed and collect the substrates to / from a substrate treating apparatus main body, a transport mechanism for holding and transporting the FOUPs, and racks arranged above the openers for receiving the FOUPs. The racks include an incoming rack for receiving the FOUPs from an external transport device, an outgoing rack for delivering the FOUPs to the external transport device, and a mid-treatment storage rack for keeping an empty FOUP after the substrates are fed therefrom. The openers include a feed-only opener for feeding the substrates, and a collect-only opener for collecting the substrates.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001](1) Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates to a stocker apparatus and a substrate treating apparatus for storing substrates such as semiconductor wafers, glass substrates for photo resist, glass substrates for liquid crystal displays, or substrates for optical disks (hereinafter called simply “substrates”).[0003](2) Description of the Related Art[0004]A conventional substrate treating apparatus of the single substrate type, as shown in FIG. 1, includes an indexer mechanism 100, four openers 101a-101d and treating units (not shown). The openers 101a, 101b, 101c, . . . , when not distinguished, will be referred to as “opener(s) 101”.[0005]Each opener 101 receives, on a support table, a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) F which is a container storing a plurality of substrates in multiple stages in a substantially horizontal state, and opens and closes a lid of the FOUP F. When the lid of the FOUP F is opened by the opener 101, the indexer mec...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): G06F19/00B65G1/00B65G1/137H01L21/673
CPCH01L21/67766Y10S414/14H01L21/67775H01L21/67769
InventorFUKUTOMI, YOSHITERUIWATA, HIDEYUKI
OwnerSOKUDO CO LTD