Resist process system

• US 5,202,716 A
• Filed: 06/25/1992
• Issued: 04/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Kyushu Limited (Tokyo Electron Limited), Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Ushijima, Mitsuru, Akimoto, Masami, Tateyama, Kiyohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): GRIFFIN, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US07/904,505
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 354/319, 414/217, 414/225, 432/121
• US Class Current: 396/624
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 31/00 Handling, e.g. feeding of the material to be shaped , storage of plastics material before moulding; Automation, i.e. automated handling lines in plastics processing plants, e.g. using manipulators or robots discharging moulded articles from the mould B29C37/0003; storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing B29C70/54; baling of rubber B29B15/02
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/16 Coating processes; Apparatus therefor applying coatings to base materials in general B05; applying photosensitive compositions to base for photographic purposes G03C1/74
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/26 Processing photosensitive materials; Apparatus therefor G03F7/12 - G03F7/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/3021 from a wafer supported on a rotating chuck
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67173 in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67178 vertical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J

Abstract

A resist process system of the present invention includes at least two robots for conveying a wafer, a passage through which the robots can move, plural process units arranged along the passage, and a waiting unit for temporarily holding the wafer which is to be processed. The waiting unit is arranged beside the passage and between the process units and it includes plural compartments partitioned in it.

Claims

1. A resist process system comprising;

conveying means for conveying a wafer;

a passage along which the conveying means is movable;

a plurality of process units arranged beside the passage; and

at least one waiting unit for temporarily keeping the wafer which is to be processed;

wherein said waiting unit is arranged beside the passage and between the process units.

2. The resist process system according to claim 1, wherein said waiting unit includes plural compartments partitioned in it.

3. The resist process system according to claim 2, wherein the wafer stage is housed in the most upper compartment in the waiting unit.

4. The resist process system according to claim 1, wherein at least two conveying means are provided in the passage.

5. The resist process system according to claim 4, wherein said passage is separated in front of the waiting unit and each of the separated passages includes at least one conveying means.

6. The resist process system according to claim 5, wherein an arm of each conveying means is extended oblique to the passage to transfer the wafer into and out of the waiting unit.

7. The resist process system according to claim 5, further comprising a waiting unit provided with a single wafer stage and travel means for moving the single wafer stage itself in the waiting unit between a position where the wafer is received and a position where the wafer is sent.

8. The resist process system according to claim 4, wherein an arm of each conveying means is extended perpendicular to the passage to transfer the wafer into and out of the waiting unit.

9. The resist process system according to claim 8, wherein said passage is continuous even in front of the waiting unit.

10. The resist process system according to claim 4, wherein said waiting unit has two wafer stages and handling means for transferring the wafer between the two wafer stages.

11. The resist process system according to claim 1, wherein said waiting units are arranged on both sides of the passage.