Substrate Carrier Transfer Layout for Throughput and Cleanliness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate treatment systems experience a decrease in throughput due to substrates passing through single-wafer treatment devices, and there is a risk of particle adherence during transportation.
Innovation Solution
A substrate treatment system configuration where the stocker device, single-wafer treatment device, and batch treatment device are disposed in a line, with a carrier transport mechanism between them, allowing for efficient transport of carriers and preventing particle adherence by storing substrates in carriers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If substrates are transported through the single-wafer treatment device to reach the batch treatment device, then the substrate can be delivered to the batch treatment device, but the throughput of the substrate treatment system decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides substrate transport into two independent paths: a direct path from the stocker device to the batch treatment device for multiple substrates, and an indirect path through the single-wafer treatment device for substrates requiring individual treatment. This segmentation allows simultaneous operation of both paths, preventing throughput reduction while enabling flexible substrate routing based on treatment requirements.
2Reliability
If substrates are transported individually through multiple devices, then each substrate can be processed, but the risk of particle adherence during transportation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a carrier device as an intermediary container that holds multiple substrates during transport from the stocker device to the batch treatment device. This carrier-based transport system reduces the number of individual substrate handling operations, thereby minimizing exposure to particle contamination while maintaining reliable processing. The carrier acts as a protective enclosure during the transport phase.
3Productivity
If the stocker device, single-wafer treatment device, and batch treatment device are disposed in a line with a carrier transport mechanism, then carrier transport efficiency is improved, but the system length and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the carrier transport function with the existing linear arrangement of the stocker device, single-wafer treatment device, and batch treatment device. The carrier transport mechanism is integrated along the same linear path, allowing carriers to be moved between devices without requiring separate parallel transport systems. This merging approach improves carrier transport efficiency while minimizing additional system complexity by reusing the existing spatial configuration.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
In a substrate treatment system, a stocker device, a single-wafer treatment device, an interface device, and a batch treatment device are disposed in a line and linearly in this order. A first transport robot of the stocker device transports a carrier placed on a load port to a stocker device side position. A carrier transport mechanism transports the carrier from the stocker device side position to an interface device side position. A second transport robot of the interface device transports the carrier from the interface device side position to a shelf. The batch treatment device takes out a plurality of substrates from the carrier transported to the shelf, and performs predetermined batch treatment on the plurality of taken-out substrates. The single-wafer treatment device performs treatment on a plurality of substrates one by one.