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Substrate transport method and apparatus

  • US 6,253,118 B1
  • Filed: 09/10/1998
  • Issued: 06/26/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A process for transporting substrates between a processing unit, a buffer section and an exposure unit, said exposure unit performing an exposing process on said substrates, said processing unit performing various substrate treatments before and after said exposing process, said buffer section having a plurality of storage racks, said method comprising:

  • sequentially transferring a plurality of unexposed substrates from said processing unit to said buffer section, each substrate of each consecutive pair of substrates transferred from said processing unit to said buffer section being placed on respective storage racks which are separated from one another by at least one empty intervening storage rack; and

    sequentially transferring a plurality of exposed substrates from said exposure unit to said buffer section, each substrate of each consecutive pair of substrates transferred from said exposure unit to said buffer section being placed on respective storage racks which are separated from one another by at least one empty intervening storage rack.

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